70 Richard Frotscfier’s Almanac and Garden Manual 
excellent hay per acre on poor to medium land. In grazing and as 
hay most animals select it in preference among mixtures in other 
grasses. In lower latitudes it furnishes good winter grazing, as well 
as for spring, summer and fail. After grazing or mowing few grasses 
grow so rapidly (three or six inches per week), and are so soon 
ready again for tooth or blade. It is easily cured and handled. It is 
readily seeded, and catches with certainty. Its long, deeply penetra¬ 
ting, fibrous roots enable it to sustain itself and grow vigorously dur¬ 
ing droughts that dry up other grasses, except tall oat grass, which 
has similar roots and characteristics. It grows well in open lands 
and in forests of large trees, the underbush being all cleared off. I 
have had it grown luxuriantly even in beech woods, where the roots 
are superficial, in the crotches of roots and close to the trunks of trees. 
The hay is of high quality, and the young grass contains a larger per 
centage of nutritive digestible matter than any other grass. It thrives 
well without any renewal on the same ground for thirty-five, nay 
forty years; how much longer I am not able to say. It is easily exter¬ 
minated when the land is desired for other crops.. Is there any other 
grass for which so much can be said ? 
RED TOP GRASS. 
(Agrostis Vulgaris.) 
This is the best grass of England, the herd grass of the Southern 
States; not in honor of any man, but probably because so well adapted 
to the herd. It is called also Fine Top, Burden’s and Borden’s Grass- 
Varying greatly in characters, according to soil, location, climate and 
culture, some botanists have styled it A. Pohjmorplia. It grows two to 
three feet high, and I have mown it when four feet high. It grows 
| # well on hill-tops and sides, in ditches, gullies and marshes, but de¬ 
lights in moist bottom land. It is not injured by overflows, though 
somewhat prolonged. In marshy land it produces a very dense, strong 
network of roots capable of sustaining the weight of men and animals 
walking over it. 
It furnishes considerable grazing during warm “spells” in winter, 
and in spring and surtimer an abundant supply of nutrition. It has 
a tendency, being very hardy, to increase in density of growth and ex¬ 
tent of surface, and will continue indefinitely, though easily subdued 
by the plow. 
Cut before maturing seed it makes a good hay and large quantity. 
It seems to grow taller in the Southern States than it does further 
North, and to make more and better hay and grazing. Red top and 
timothy, being adapted to the same soil and maturing at the same 
time, do well together and produce an excellent hay. But the red top 
will finally root out timothy, and if pastured much it will do so sooner. 
Sow about two bushels (24 lbs.) per acre, if alone, in September, 
October, February or March; if with timothy for hay, from 6 to 10 
pounds; if with other grasses for pasture, 3 to 5 pounds. It is an ex¬ 
cellent pasture grass, and will grow on almost any kind of soil. 
