ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN’S ASSOCIATION. 
65 
Thursday, 9 a. m. 
After calling the Convention to order the President 
announced that he had received an invitation from the 
proprietors of the Illinois Condensing Company, for all 
the members of the Convention who wished to visit their 
works in this city. 
On motion the Convention adjourned for one hour to 
accept this invitation and visit the works. 
Upon the re-assembling of the members again, the 
discussions were resumed, and Topic S, “ Grasses, the best 
varieties for hay and pasture, as adapted to our climate,” 
was called for, when Thomas Milsom, of Flora, Illinois, 
furnished the following paper: 
THOMAS MILSOM’S ADDRESS. 
Mr. President, Gentlemen of the Convention: I cannot see 
for what reason the parties who made this programme selected me to open 
the discussion on this important subject: “ Grasses, the best varieties for 
hay and pasture, as adapted to our climate.” I am certain there are men 
in this room, some of whom are to follow me, that have had far more 
experience and know a great deal more about it than I do. 
I have for some time paid a good deal of attention to grass, for in a 
country like Southern Illinois, where our soils are thin, in places very flat, 
and again in others very subject to wash, and where we have raised nothing 
but corn for the last—well ever since the prairie sod was first turned 
under ; grass is our only salvation ; but what varieties I do not think I 
have thoroughly solved. 
Red Top ranks among one of the foremost grasses of Southern 
Illinois ; perhaps on account of its adaptability to our wet flat lands, or 
because the seed is always in good demand. (We have shipped from the 
town of Flora, alone, this summer, over fifty thousand bushels of Red Top 
