ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN’S ASSOCIATION. 
'21 
lentical with our common June grass) and which was well set in the pasture lot 
efore it was well cultivated. I had almost forgotten to mention the quality of the 
ay produced on this lot; it was sought for by all the stock on the farm and was eaten 
vith great avidity in preference to any other hay that was fed. 
Plat No. 3 consisted of about five acres covered with a very heavy growth of rag 
v r eed, motherwort, catnip, and other noxious weeds. The soil was composed of 
ravelly loam resting on a naturally drained sub-soil, which would locate the land on 
, higher elevation than that occupied by the foregoing plats. Cultivation was done 
»y surface culture. The amounts and varieties of seed sown per acre were as follows: 
timothy, nine pounds; red top, seven pounds; orchard grass, five pounds; red 
lover, four pounds ; white clover, two pounds ; alsike, three pounds. Time of seed- 
ng, April 1,1878. Result a good strong stand of grass in the place of noxious weeds. 
?ke rag weed was completely smothered out. This plat was selected for experiment 
o establish the following points: 1. That thorough surface culture and heavy seed- 
ng would subdue the tenacious rag weed. 2. The endurance and vitality of orchard 
;rass in that class of soil. 3. The effect on the growth of red clover sown upon land 
tot cultivated with the plow. 4. The longevity of red top on a dry soil, also the com- 
>arative value of alsike clover grown on moist soil. From this plat the following 
leductions resulted : Heavy seeding will effectually smother all noxious weeds from 
he soil, and a light distribution of seeds will be followed by a large growth of nox- 
ous plants growing in the intervening space of naked surface of soil. The orchard 
Tass proves to be very tenacious in this kind of soil, and very prolific in its growth of 
>roducing a very large amount of good sweet'herbage. The plat was used for grazing 
oung stock. The red clover has done well in this plat of ground, and I observed this 
hange in the growth of the roots of red clovor when grown on land not cultivated 
v r ith the plow, that it has coarse, fibrous roots instead of a taproot, or like theparsnip- 
ormed root. In every instance where I have examined clover sown upon unculti- 
r ated land, I find the fibrous-formed roots which very strongly resist the alternate 
reezing and thawing which is so injurious to the roots of clover sown on cultivated 
and. We have examined a stand of red clover growing on sward land fifteen years 
ince the first seed was sown, being propagated by cutting the first crop and allowing 
he rowen to remain undisturbed and the seed to ripen and fall upon the surface of 
he soil—according to Nature’s laws. In relation to red top we find it will hold its 
>ositioii with the other varieties of the grasses, which coincides with its historical 
growth in England as described in a former number of these articles in the Prairie 
farmer. In comparing the growth of the Alsike clover grown upon moist soil it has 
lone far better than on a dry soil; hence we conclude that a moist soil may be recom- 
nended for it. 
The results of experiments made under the observation of the writer, in cultivat- 
ng the grasses, were detailed in the last number, as to plats 1, 2 and 3. 
Plat No. 4 contained thirty-six acres; soil alluvial, resting on a clay subsoil; for- 
nerly covered with a very heavy growth of hard and soft wood timber. The surface 
)f the land was in very fine condition, the stumps and surface roots having been 
•emoved. This plat was cultivated and seeded with a combination of grass seed for 
)ermanent pasture use, the following being the formula: Timothy, six pounds; 
Lalian rye grass, four pounds; orchard grass, seven pounds; fowl meadow grass, 
hree pounds; red top, five pounds ; red clover, three pounds; white top, three pounds; 
ilsike, three pounds; which made by measurement one bushel and a peck of seed per 
icre. The seed was sown the last week in August, 1877. The first crop was cut for 
lay. Since then it has been stocked with a dairy herd of cows. In addition to the 
varieties sown, the following varieties are found intermixed with the grasses growing 
ipon this plat, to wit: Kentucky blue grass, and rough stalked meadow grass. This 
ot produces feed at the rate of three-fourths of an acre per cow. The quality of the 
nilk afforded by the herd on this pasture is excellent, and the butter made from it is 
narketed in Boston, Mass. In this plat we find the orchard grass a vigorous grower 
vhile the Italian rye grass is not as strong as the former, or as meadow fescue. From 
his lot I selected a number of specimens. 
The valuable varieties of grasses for permanent pasture are those that will pro- 
luce undershoots when cropped off by grazing stock. Among these are the following 
varieties: Barley grass (H< rdeum jubatim) , rye grass [Lolium perenne), meadow fescue 
festuca pratensis), are wonderful to produce a large amount of herbage early in the 
;pring. In May last, the 10th, I saw snow in several pastures m this vicinity, and dur- 
ng the last days of the month I measured leaves of the meadow fescue which were 
wenty-six inches long. Meadow foxtail, Kentucky blue grass or June grass, also 
;tart early. Orchard grass is a very rapid grower, as will be noticed in the descrip¬ 
tion previously given of it. In our herbarium is a specimen which grew thirty-six 
nches in length in thirty days, on gravelly loam soil. Another important consider- 
ition is to secure a combination of those varieties of grasses which mature at differ- 
»nt periods so as to secure a supply of good nutritious food during the entire season of 
grazing, which is very desirable to the dairyman and stock raiser. This can be accom- 
