48 



D. M, FERRY & GO'S DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE. 



COMMON MILLET CPaniciim miliaceurn). Requires a dry, 

 li^ht, rich soil, and grows two and a half to four feet high, 

 with a fine bulk of stocks and leaves, and is excellent for 

 forage For hay, sow broadcast, one-half bushel per acre, from 

 Maj^ 1st to August 1st. For grain, sow in drills, one peck to the 

 acre, and not later than June 20th. Fifty pounds per bushel. 



GERriAN, OR GOLDEN MILLET.— An improved variety, 

 medium early, growing three to five feet high. The heads are 

 closely condensed, though the spikes are very numerous. 

 The seeds are contained in rough, bristly sheaths and are 

 round, golden yellow and beautiful in appearance. 



ROUGH STALKED MEADOW CPoa trivialis).—A strong 

 growing, hardy grass, well suited for deep, moist soils, but of 

 little value on soil which is poor or dry. 



WOOD riEADOW GRASS (Poa nemoralis') .—Grows from 

 one and a half to two feet high; has a perennial creeping 

 root, and an erect, slender, smooth stem. One of the best 

 varieties to sow in shaded situations, such as orchards and 

 parks, for either hay or pasturage. Two bushels per acre. 

 About fourteen pounds per bushel. 



CRESTED DOG'S TAIL (.Cy7iosurus cristatus).— A peren- 

 nial grass with short, narrow leaves, particularly valuable 

 for lawns or pastures on dry, light land. 



SHEEP'S FESCUE (Festuca ovina)—A. smaU tufted, 

 hardy grass, forming a cluster of narrow cylindrical leaves, 

 of value in mixture for lawns or dry soils and under shade. 



HARD FESCUE iFestuca duriuscula).— 'Similar to the 

 last, but not so dense, and growing somewhat taller ; this often 



will cover sandy soil under the shade of large trees where no 

 other grass will grow; is a desirable addition to lawn grass. 



EXTRA FINE MIXED LAWN GRASS {Central Park 

 Mixture). —"The essentials for a fine lawn are proper drain- 

 age, a careful preparation of the soil, which should be made 

 as fine and light on the surface as possible, thorough roUing, 

 and a selection of the seeds of such grasses as will present a 

 luxuriant verdure from early spring till late in autumn; and 

 then, frequent mowings with a lawn mower. However much 

 care is bestowed on the soil and seed, no X&wn will be beautiful 

 without frequent mowing and rolling. Too much care can- 

 not be bestowed upon the selection of grasses, as some 

 varieties are the most luxuriant in spring, others in summer, 

 others again in autumn, and a combination of the proper 

 sorts IS required for a perfect, carpet like \sivm. We have 

 given much thought and made many experiments to secure 

 the best selection, and think our Central Park Mixture is the 

 best possible for permanent lawns. It may be planted early 

 in spring, or fall, and should be sown at the rate of sixty to 

 eighty povmds per acre ; much more is required than for hay 

 or pasturage. If sown in the spring, sow as early as possible, 

 making the surface very fine and smooth, then raking it over 

 and sowing the seed just before a rain, which, if the surface 

 has just been raked. Avill cover the seed sufficiently. If the 

 expected rain does not come, cover by rolling with a light 

 roller. If sown in the fall, sow before the autumn rains have 

 ceased, and before very cold weather: give the young grass a 

 light dressing of manure. One pound of this mixture is 

 sufficient to sow 600 square feet. 



MISCELLANEOUS SEEDS. 



WHEAT, MICHIGAN BRONZE ^Mediterranean Hybrid, 

 or Diehl Mediterraneaii) . — This is a cross between the old 

 Diehl and the Red Mediterranean ; the head is the shape of the 

 Diehl, but with short beards, while the plant retains the hardi- 

 ness and productiveness of the Mediterranean; the grain is 

 very superior in milling quahties. The plants stool out well. 

 The straw is of moderate length and size, but very stiff, and 

 turns bronze at maturity; the berry is bright amber color, 

 medium size and handsome. We recommend this variety as 

 one of the surest and best for ordinary farms and conditions. 



BARLEY, COnnON.— Barley succeeds best on lands more 

 sandy and lighter than those adapted to wheat. It is sown in 

 the spring, and can be grown farther north than any other 

 grain. Sow from two to two and one-haLf bushels per acre. 

 Weight, forty-eight pounds per bushel. 



BARLEY, HULLESS.— There are several varieties of bar- 

 ley in which the grain shells out of the chaff like wheat. One 

 variety is also beardless. The one we offer has a smaller grain, 

 but yields about as well as the Common Barley, and is the 

 sort largely grown for making barley bread. 



RYE, SPRING.— Although this grain is often planted especi- 

 ally for paper makers, who prefer it to any other, its principal 

 value is as a "catch" crop, to sow where winter grain has 

 failed. The straw is shorter and stiffer than the winter variety, 

 and is always easily secured, while the grain, although 

 smaller, is of equal value. 



RYE, FALL OR WINTER.— The time for sowing is from 

 the middle of August to the last of September. Prepare the 

 ground as for wheat and sow broadcast, or with a drill at the 

 rate of one and one-half bushels per acre, This has no equal 

 as a crop to be used for late fall and early spring pasture, 

 and is one of the best to turn under for green manure. 



BUCKWHEAT, SILVER HULL.-This improved variety 

 is much better than the old sort. It is in bloom longer, 

 matures sooner, and yields double the quantity per acre. The 

 husk is thinner, the corners less prominent, and the grain of a 

 beautiful hght gray color. 



BUCKWHEAT, JAPANESE.— The plants are large and 

 vigorous, maturing seed early, and resisting drought and 

 bhght remarkably well; the grain is much larger and has a 

 thinner hull than the Common or the Silver Hull. We 

 recommend this especially for well drained or sandy land, 

 and the dry climate of the western plains. 



FLAX (Linum tisitatissimur)i).—Sow late enough in the 

 spring to avoid frost, and early enough to secure the early 

 rains. A fair average quantity of seed to be sowm on an acre 

 is one-half bushel, when cultivated for seed; if for the fibre 

 a larger quantity should be sown. Cut before quite ripe 

 and if the weather be dry, let it Me in the swath a few hours 

 when it should be raked and secured from the weather; 

 thresh early in the fall and in dry weather. 



HEflP (Cannabis sativa^.—Ii raised for manufacturing, 

 must be sown broadcast, at the rate of one-half bushel to the 

 acre; if for seed, it should be planted in hills four feet apart, 

 and the plants thinned out to three or four most vigorous 

 stems in each hill. 



SPURRY CSpergula arvensis).— An old plant which has 

 recently been brought into prominence, as it was found to 



be of great value for forage and green soiling on light sandy 

 lands. The seed is fine, but the plants speedily take possession 

 of the ground and grow vigorously, even on very poor soil. 



FLAT PEA CLaihyrus 

 sylvestris). —Althongh this 

 plant has been knowm for 

 many years it is only recently 

 that attention has been called 

 to its value for re-establishing 

 the fertility of worn out land 

 and for use as a forage plant. 

 The dried fodder is almost 

 equal to grain in nutritive 

 value, and it will live and 

 thrive on soils too poor and 

 sandy to support any other 

 valuable plant. It is worthy 

 of a trial for both purposes 

 and in many cases will prove 

 to be a plant of great value. 

 This variety should be sown and 

 treated like other field peas. 

 The plant is a hardy perennial, 

 and does not give its largest 

 returns until the third year. 



FIELD PEAS {Pisum sati- 

 vum).— The varieties of field 

 peas have never been very 

 numerous, nor are they much 

 increasing. The kinds mostly 

 used are the choice Blue, Com- 

 mon Blue, No. 1 White, and 

 Common White. Field peas, in 

 general, may be sown broad- 

 cast or in drills, after the man- 

 ner of field beans, about three 

 bushels per acre. 



SPRING VETCHES, OR 

 TARES CVica sativa).—A species of the pea, grown exten- 

 sively in England, and to a considerable extent in Canada, for 

 stock, but not much used in the States. Culture same as field 

 peas. Two btfthels per acre. 



RICE, WILD QZizunia oquatica'). — An annual which sows 

 itself about the middle of September, lies dormant all 

 winter, in spring commences to sprout as soon as the 

 water gets warm, reaching the surface during the first half 

 of June. It grows very rapidly in one to four feet of 

 water, ripens late in August or earlj^ in September. It 

 should be planted broadcast from a boat in two or three feet 

 of water having a mud bottom. It succeeds best when 

 planted in the fall before the ice forms, but it has been suc- 

 cessfully planted in spring, and also through the ice in winter. 

 As an attraction for wild fowl it cannot be equaled. In large 

 ponds and lakes it purifies the water, affords a refuge for the 

 small fry from the large fish, as well as furnishing them 

 plenty of food from the animal culae upon its stalks; for plant- 

 ing in fish ponds it is especially desirable. It also does well 

 along the shores of marshes, and makes a good hay. In the 

 South two crops can be cut. All cattle are very fond of it. 



SPRING VETCHES. 



BIRD SEEDS. 



CANARY SEED (Phalaris canariensis'). 

 MAW (Papaver rhoeas). 



CUTTLE BONE. 



HEMP SEED (Cannabis sativd). RAPE SEED (Brassica napus). 



MILLET SEED (Panicum miliaceuni). LETTUCE SEED (Lactuca sativay. 

 MIXED BIRD SEED. 



