50 
D. M. FERRY & CO’S DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE. 
Kl SSI AN MULBER KY.— Of rapid growth, resembling 
the apple tree in habit, with a grayish bark and drooping 
branches. It is very easily cultivated and kept in dwarf 
form, makes a fine hedge and wind break. It bears very 
young, and the fruit is similar to the blackberry, varying in 
flavor from sub-acid to sweet. In cold regions especially, 
this should prove a very valuable variety for its timber, shade 
and fruit. 
OSAGE ORANGE (Maclura aurantiaca ). — How to 
Plant, Cultivate and Make a IIedoe.— The ground should 
be thoroughly pulverized by either plowing or spading, before 
the seed is planted. The surest way is to sprout the seed 
before planting, as it is very slow in germinating when put 
into the ground without being sprouted, sometimes taking a 
whole season to come up. To sprout the seed put into a ves¬ 
sel and cover with warm (not hot) water. Keep the vessel in 
a warm place, and change the water once a day. Let the 
seed soak about five or six days, after which pour off the 
water and cover the vessel with a cloth. Keep in a warm 
room and stir the seed occasionally. In about one week more 
they will begin to sprout, and are ready for planting. A 
pound of seed, if properly managed, will produce 5,000 plants, 
The seed should be sown in April or May, with twelve good 
seeds to the foot, in drills twenty inches apart. They should 
be kept free from weeds, as the young plants are very tender 
and delicate until they are from three to five inches high. 
They can be set out in permanent hedges the following spring, 
in rows, placing them six inches apart in the row, but should 
be cut back to within an inch of the ground before they are 
set out; and to make a thick hedge it will be necessary to cut 
back the first three years, leaving only about eight inches of 
each season's growth. This system must be pursued every 
season until the hedge is of the desired height and form. 
Under proper treatment a good hedge that will turn all kinds 
of stock can be grown from seed in from three to four years. 
* - ** - 
CLOVER SEEDS. 
3IAMMOTH, OR LARGE RED (Trifolium medium ). — 
It grows quite tall and its stalks are coarse and large, but by 
its ludicious use lands which have been exhausted can be re 
claimed, as it will grow where the common clover will fail. 
It flowers with timothy and may be sown with that grass for 
hay. If pastured closely until about the middle of June and 
then left to grow untouched it will seed heavily. Sow at the 
rate of about eight pounds per acre. Sixty pounds per bushel. 
MEDIUM RED, OR JUNE (Trifolium pratense).— 
This is by far the most important of all‘the varieties for the 
practical purposes of agriculture. Sow in spring or fall; and 
when no other grasses are used,* at the rate of eight to ten 
pounds per acre, more being required on old, stiff soils than 
on new and lighter ones. Sixty pounds per bushel. 
CRIMSON TREFOIL, OR SCARLET ITALIAN ( Tri¬ 
folium incnmatum ). — 1 This is an annual variety, in common 
use in the South for feeding green and for hay. The yield in 
fodder is immense, and after cutting, it at once commences 
growing again, and continues until severe, cold, freezing 
weather. It grows about one foot high; the roots are nearly 
black: leaves long; blossoms long, pointed and of a very deep 
red, or carmine color. Makes good hay. It is sown in August or 
September in the South for early spring pasture or hay, or 
early in the spring for fall pasture or hay. Not adapted to 
the rigor of Northern winters. 
ALSIKE, OR SWEDISH (7 'rifolium hj/bridum ).— The 
most hardy of all the clovers: perennial. On rich, moist soils 
it yields an enormous quantity of hay or pasturage, but its 
greatest value is for sowing with other clovers and grasses, as 
it forms a thick bottom and greatly increases the yield of hay, 
and cattle prefer it to any other forage. The heads are glob¬ 
ular, fragrant, and much liked by bees, which obtain a large 
amount of honey from them. Sow in spring or fall, at the 
rate of six pounds per acre, where used alone. Sixty pounds 
per bushel. 
WHITE DUTCH (Trifolium repens ).— A smaH. creeping, 
perennial variety, valuable for pasturage and for lawns. It 
accommodates itself to a variety of soils, but prefers moist 
ground. Sow in spring, at the'rate of six pounds per acre; 
or when used with other grasses, half that amount. 
LUCERNE, OR ALFALFA (Medicago saliva ).—It is 
useless to sow this clover on land having a stiff clay or hard 
pan sub-soil, as the roots naturally penetrate to a great depth, 
and must do so if the plants live any time. Sow on rich, 
moist loam or sandy soil having a deep porous sub-soil. Pre¬ 
pare the land thoroughly and sow seed at the rate of twenty 
to twenty-five pounds per acre, with a broadcaster or grass 
seeder. Cover with a brush or light harrow. The young 
plants are quite tender and the land must be free of weeds 
until they become established. In the arid regions of the 
west, where it can be irrigated, it is grown almost exclusively 
for hay anil pasture. 
BOKHARA (Melilolus alba) Sweet Clover . — This is ex¬ 
ceedingly valuable as pasturage for bees. It is occasionally 
found growing wild by the roadside in company with the 
more common sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis), and may 
be distinguished from it by its white flowers and less coarse 
and more leafy stems. 
GRASS SEEDS. 
TIMOTHY (Phleum jrratense).— This is the most valuable 
of all the grasses for hay, especially in the north. Thrives 
best on moist, loamy soils* of medium tenacity. It should be 
cut iust when the blossom falls. Sow early in spring or fall, 
at the rate of twelve pounds per acre, if alone, but less if 
mixed with other grasses. Forty-five pounds per bushel. 
ORCHARD GRASS, OR COCK’S FOOT ( Dactylis 
qlomerata).— One of the most valuable grasses on account of 
its quick growth and valuable aftermath. It is ready for 
grazing in spring two weeks sooner than most grasses, and 
will continue green when other grasses are withered by dry 
weather. It has a tendency to grow in tufts, and so does: 
better if sown with clovers, and as it ripens at the same time 
the mixed hay is of the best quality. When sown alone, two 
bushels are required per acre; if sown with clover, half that 
amount. It is perennial, and will last for years, but its habit 
of growth unfits it for lawns. Fourteen pounds per bushel. 
RED TOP (Agrostis vulgaris). —In some sections this is 
called Rhode Island Bent Grass. In Pennsylvania and states 
further south it is known as Herd's Grass, a name applied 
in New England and New York to Timothy. It is a good, per¬ 
manent grass, standing our climate well, and makes a good 
pasture when fed close. It is valuable for low, wet meadows, 
not being injured by somewhat prolonged overflows. When 
sown alone, two bushels per acre are required, sown in spring 
or fall. Fourteen pounds per bushel. 
FOWL MEADOW, OR FALSE RED TOP (Poa sero- 
tina). — It yields well when sown on low, moist land, and will 
not suffer if not cut at the exact time. It can be mowed al¬ 
most any time from July to October. When three feet high 
it falls down, or lodges, and after a little time every joint puts 
forth new branches. The stalk is always sweet and tender, 
and cattle and sheep are fond of it. It thrives best when 
mixed with other grasses. Though resembling Red Top in 
some respects, it is distinct, and we think superior in every 
respect. Requires about the same amount of seed per acre 
as Red Top, sown in spring or fall. Twelve pounds per bushel. 
KENTUCKY BLUE GRASS ( Poa pratensis). — This is 
known in some sections as Green Meadow Grass, and June 
Grass, but should not be confounded with Poa compressa , 
called by some June Grass, or Wire Grass. This species 
produces the most nourishing food for cattle of any, and till 
a late period in winter, and in the South abundant food 
throughout the winter. In conjunction with White Clover, it 
forms the finest and closest of lawns; for this purpose an 
extra quantity of seed should be used, say four bushels of 
Blue Grass and six pounds of White Clover per acre. If sown 
by itself for pasturage, two bushels will be required; sowp 
early in the spring, or in October or November. Fourteen 
pounds per bushel. 
PERENNIA L R YE G R ASS (Lolium perenne). —A very 
valuable variety for permanent pasture; very nutritious, and 
stock are very fond of it. Succeeds well on almost any soil, 
but is particularly adapted to moderately moist or irrigated 
lands. I^arge quantities are raised in England, and nearly al! 
of Europe. It is also largely used for lawns, in conjunction 
with other grasses. Sow one and a-half to two bushels per 
acre, in the spring. Twenty pounds per bushel. 
MEADOW FESCUE, OR ENGLISH BLUE GRASS 
(Festuca pratensis). — A perennial grass from two to four 
feet high, with fiat, broad leaves. This is one of the standard 
European grasses, and cattle are very fond of it, both green 
And dry. It needs rich ground, and it succeeds well on 
prairie soil, and is an excellent pasture grass to take the place 
of the wild grasses, as it yields a large amount of early and 
late feed. 
SWEET VERNAL GRASS ( Anthoxanthum odoratum). 
—One of the earliest of grasses in spring, as well as the latest 
in autumn, and about the only grass that is fragrant. As a 
pasture grass, mixed with other species, it is Valuable on 
account of its earliness, and mixed with blue grass and white 
clover, it is an invaluable adjunct for lawns, presenting a 
beautiful appearance, and exhaling a delightful fragrance 
when in blossom. Should form a part of the mixed grasses 
in every lawn and dooryard. About ten pounds per bushel. 
WOOD MEADOW GRASS (Poa nemoralis). — Grows 
from one and a-half to two feet high; has a perennial creep¬ 
ing root, and an erect, slender, smooth stem. Its chief value 
is in that it will produce a good crop of hay in moist, shady 
situations, where it frequently grows quite tall. Cattle are 
fond of it: it is succulent and nutritious, and is, perhaps, the 
best variety for sowing in orchards, under trees, and shaded 
situations, either for hay or pasturage, and for parks and 
leasure grounds. About fourteen pounds per bushel. Two 
ushels per acre. 
COMMON MILLET (Panicum miliaceum). — Requires a 
dry, light, rich soil, and grows two and a-half to four feet 
high, with a fine bulk of stalks and leaves, and is excellent 
for forage. For hay, sow broadcast, one-lialf bushel per 
acre, from May 1st to August 1st. For grain, sow in drills, 
one peck to the acre, and not later than June 20th. Fifty 
pounds per bushel. 
GERMAN, OR "GOLDEN MILLET.— An improved 
variety, medium early, growing three to five feet high. The 
