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J. STECKLER SKED CO., LTD., ALMANAC AXD 



RED TOP GRASS. 



Agrostis Vulgaris. 



This is the best grass of England, the herd 

 grass of the United States; not in honor of 

 any man, but probably because so well adapted 

 to the herd. It is called also Fine Top Bur- 

 den's and Borden's Grass. Varying greatly 

 in character, according to soil, location, 

 climate and culture; some botanists have 

 styled it A Polgmorpha. It grows tw-o to 

 three feet high, and can be mown when four 

 feet high. It grows well on hill tops and 

 sides, in ditches, gullies and marshes, but 

 delights in moist bottom land. It is not in- 

 jured by overflows, though somewhat pro- 

 longed. In marshy land it produces a very 

 dense, strong net-work of roots capable of 

 sustaining the weight of men and animals 

 walking over it. It furnishes considerable 

 grazing during warm "spells" in winter, and 

 in spring and summer an abundant supply of 

 nutrition. It has a tendency, being very 

 hardy, to increase in density of growth and 

 extent of surface, and will continue indefin- 

 itely, though easily subdued by the plow. 

 Cut before maturing seeds it makes a good 

 hay and large quantity. It seems to grow 

 taller in the Southern States than it does 

 further North, and to make more and better 

 hay and grazing. Red Top and Timothy 

 being adapted to the same soil and maturing 

 at the same time, do well together and pro- 

 duce an excellent hay. But the Red Top will 

 finally root out Timothy, and if pastured 

 much will do so sooner. Sow two bushels 

 per acre, if alone, in September, October, 

 February or March; if with Timothy for hay 

 from 6 to 10 pounds, if with other grasses 

 for pasture, 3 to 5 pounds. It is an excellent 

 pasturage grass, and will grow on almost any 

 kind of soil. 



KENTUCKY BLUE GRASS. 



Poa Pratensis. 



This is also called 

 smooth meadow grass, 

 spear grass, and green 

 grass, all three very ap- 

 propriate, characteris- 

 tic names, but Blue is a 

 misnomer for thisgrass. 

 It is not blue, but 

 green as grass, and the 

 greenest of grasses. 

 Kentucky Blue Grass, 

 with its underground 

 stems and many roots, 

 sustains the heat and 

 drought of the South- 

 ern States. It may be 

 sown any time from 

 September to April, 

 preferable perhaps in 

 the latter half of Feb- 

 ruary or early in March. The surface of the 



Kentucky Blue Grass. 



English Rye Grass, 



land should be cleaned of trash of all kinds, 

 smooth, even; and if recently plowed and 

 harrowed, it should be rolled also. One year 

 here gives a finer growth and show than two 

 in Kentucky, or any other State so far 

 North. Sown alone, 20 to 26 pounds, that is^ 

 two bushels should be used; in mixtures, 4 tO' 

 6 pounds. 



ENGLISH, or PERENNIAL RYE GRASS. 



Lolium Perenne. 



This is the 

 first grass culti- 

 vated in Eng- 

 land over two 

 centuries ago, 

 and at a still 

 more remote pe- 

 riod in France. 

 It was long more 

 widely known 

 and cultivated 

 than any other 

 grass; became 

 adapted to a 

 great variety of 

 soils and condi- 

 tions, and a vast 

 number (seventy or more) of varieties pro- 

 duced, some of which were greatly improved 

 while others were inferior and became an- 

 nuals. Introduced into the United States in 

 the first quarter of the past century. 

 English Rye is largely sown by our landscape 

 gardeners for winter lawns on Bermuda sod. 

 The Bermuda blades being, easily affected by 

 frost become red and rusty looking, while 

 English Rye during winter presents a most 

 beautiful appearance, being of a vivid green,, 

 and as the Bermuda during April and May 

 makes its appearance it overgrows the Eng- 

 lish Rye, causing the latter to decay and act 

 as a fertilizer to the existing grass. It should 

 be sown from September to March, at the 

 rate of 3 bushels of seed per acre. 



ORCHARD GRASS. 



Dactylis Glomerata. 



This is one of the best grasses for pastur- 

 It grows quickly. Can be sown either in fall 

 or spring. Sow two bushels per acre. It 

 grows well between 29 degrees and 48 de- 

 grees latitude. It may be mowed from two 

 to four times a year, according to the lati- 

 tude, season and treatment; yielding from 

 one to three tons of excellent hay per acre on 

 poor to medium land. In grazing and as 

 hay, most animals select it in preference 

 among mixtures in other grasses. In lower 

 latitudes it furnishes good winter grazing as 

 well as for spring, summer and fall. After 

 grazing, or mowing, few grasses grow so 

 rapidly (three to six inches per week), and 

 are so soon ready again for tooth or blade^ 



Stockier Sells the Best Seeds. 



