20 
ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN^ ASSOCIATION. 
sive moisture of the soil. I am well satisfied that timothy is far 
more superior as a pasture grass than for hay, as it is !No. 7 in the 
grade list of grasses for its comparative value. And again, timothy 
will lose about 55 or 60 per cent, in curing, while the orchard will 
lose only 29 per cent., meadow fescue 31 per cent., foul meadow 44, 
rough meadow 31, and red-top 43 per cent. 
I wish to call the attention of dairymen to this fact: that timo¬ 
thy is not so valuable a grass as it is accredited to be. I suspect that 
this position will draw out criticism from those who believe that 
timothy is superior to all other varieties of grass. In relation to al¬ 
falfa, it is thoroughly tested that there are many thousands of acres 
of land in Wisconsin upon which the alfalfa will become the leading 
crop for the dairy herd. I have examined prime fields of the alfalfa 
growing in many sections of the state. The class of soil that is natu¬ 
ral for the growth of alfalfa is a rich loam underlaid with clay-mixed 
sand subsoil, and that stratum resting upon gravel formation, as the 
alfalfa will root very deep, and this class of soil is thoroughly under¬ 
drained in its natural formation. In regard to this clover I will 
submit the following report: The sapling or mammoth variety is a 
very valuable clover, if it is properly cultivated, for several reasons, 
to-wit: 1st. It has a porous root which will withstand the influence 
of the alternate thawing and freezing which is so disastrous to the 
common red clover. 2d. It produces a very large amount of feed 
per acre. I would recommend feeding this clover until about the 
10th of June. Then cut a crop of hay or seed. Under this treatment 
you will produce a very prime quality of hay, as the columns will 
not be coarse, as though it had not been cropped off. 3d. For a fer¬ 
tilizer I would allow it to grow till the blossoms are formed. Then 
summer fallow the field. Alsike clover is a valuable plant. The 
alsike is fast becoming a favorite with those that have tested its 
merit. I have used a large amount of this seed the past two years in 
the combination of seeds. I use about one pound of seed per acre. 
I have a specimen of this clover that measures five feet in length. I 
am using it quite freely in the lowland. It is a very hardy plant,and 
does not winterkill like common red clover, as it has a fibrous root. 
I would not sow this seed upon too dry soils, as it dwarfs in its growth. 
The Italian clover is doing very well in this secton of this state. It 
has a very soft stem ; is not harsh as the common red clover. I have 
a specimen that I selected the past summer that measures five feet in 
length. 
