102 



J. STECKLER SEED CO., LTD., ALMANAC AND 



roots are superficial, in the crotches of roots 

 and close to the trunks of trees. The hay is 

 of high quality, and the young grass contains 

 a larger per centage of nutritive digestible 

 matter than any other grass. It thrives well 

 without any renewal on the same ground for 

 35, nay 40 years; how much longer we are 

 not able to say. It is easily exterminated 

 when the land is required for other crops. Is 

 there any other grass for which so much can 

 be said ? 



TALL MEADOW OAT GRASS. 



Arrhenatherum Avenaceum. 



Evergreen grass 

 in Virginia and 

 other Southern 

 States, and it is the 

 Tall Oat (Avena 

 elatior) of Linaeus. 

 It is closely related 

 to the common oat, 

 and has a beautiful 

 open panicle lean- 

 ing slightly to one 

 side. It is widely 

 m s^^^^!^^^^^Si^i naturalized and well 

 ^j§?\,. ^^^^^^kJL»v adapted to a great 

 : ^ s s. > 2i^^S^a^£i- N variety of soils. On 

 sandy or gravelly 

 soils it succeeds ad- 

 mirably, growing 

 two to three feet 

 high. On rich, dry 

 upland it grows 

 from five to seven 

 feet high. It has 

 an abundance of pe- 

 rennial, long-fibrous 

 roots, penetrating 

 deeply in the soil, being, therefore, less 

 affected by drought or 'cold, and enabled to 

 yield a large quantity of foliage, winter and 

 summer. These advantages render it one of 

 the very best grasses for the South, both for 

 grazing (being evergreen) and for hay, admit- 

 ting of being cut twice a year. It is probably 

 the best winter grass that can be obtained. 

 It will make twice as much hay as Timothy, 

 and containing a greater quantity or albu- 

 minoids and less of heat-producing principles, 

 it is better adapted to the uses of the South- 

 ern farmer, while it exhausts the surface soil 

 less, and may be grazed indefinitely, except 

 after mowing. To make good hay it must be 

 cut the instant it blooms, and after being cut 

 must not get wet by dew or rain, which 

 damages it greatly in quantity and appear- 

 ance. For green soiling, it may be cut four 

 or five times with favorable seasons. In from 

 six to ten days after blooming the seeds begin 

 to ripen and fall; the upper ones first. It is, 

 therefore, a little troublesome to save the 



Tall Meadow Oat Grass. 



seed. As soon as those at the* top of the 

 panicle ripen sufficiently to begin to drop, 

 the heads should be cut off and dried, when 

 the seeds will all thresh out readily and be 

 matured. After the seeds are ripe and taken 

 off, the long abundant leaves and stems are 

 still green, and being mowed make good hay. 

 It may be sown in March or April, and mowed 

 the same season; but for heavier yield it is 

 better to sow in September or October. Along 

 the more Southern belt, from the 31 degree 

 parallel southward, it may be sown in Novem- 

 ber and onward till the middle of December. 

 Whenever sown it is one of the most certain 

 grasses to have a good catch. Not less than 

 two bushels (28 pounds) per acre should be 

 sown. Like Timothy on inhospitable soils, 

 the roots may sometimes become bulbous. 

 The average annual nutrition yielded by this 

 grass in the Southern belt is probably twice as 

 great as in Pennsylvania and other Northern 

 States. 



DWARF ESSEX RAPE. 



This Rape may be sown broadcast at the 

 rate of 20 pounds per acre and harrowed in. 

 Under favorable conditions it is ready for 

 pasturing sheep or cattle within six weeks 

 from the time of sowing, and on an average 

 one acre will carry twelve to fifteen sheep six 

 weeks to two months. In the Northern 

 States it should be sown from May to Sep- 

 tember for fall pasturing, but as it thrives 

 best in cool weather it should not be sown in 

 the Southern States until September or Octo- 

 ber for winter pasture. 



WINTER OR HAIRY VETCH. 



Though it succeeds and produces good crops 

 on poor sandy soil, it is much more vigorous 

 on good land and grows to a height of four 

 or five feet. It is perfectly hardy throughout 

 the United States, remaining green all winter 

 and should be sown during August and Sep- 

 tember mixed with Rye, which serves as a 

 support for the plants, or in spring with Oats 

 and Barley. It is the earliest crop for culture, 

 being nearly a month earlier than Scarlet 

 Clover, and a full crop can be taken off the 

 land in time for planting spring crops; l£ 

 bushels per acre. 



BERMUDA GRASS. 



Cynodon Dactylon. 

 Almost everybody living in this section of 

 the country knows this grass; it is planted as 

 a Lawn grass, and nothing will stand the sun 

 better, or will make a prettier carpet when 

 kept short, than this grass. It is also very 

 valuable as a pasture and hay grass. It is 

 only of late years that we have been able to 

 obtain the seed of this grass, which heretofore 

 had to be propagated by the roots, six pounds 

 will sow an acre. Should be planted in the 



Zucker's Medicol Eggs and China Nest Eggs. 



