48 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
sown it twice, in 1838 and 1835. It wore a most promising ap¬ 
pearance in autumn, but that sown in 1833 was every plant killed 
by the winter, as was some sown by a friend in 1834. That sown 
in the spring of 1835, with barley, has withstood the winter, and 
now, April 18, looks remarkably well. If this grass will abide our 
winters, it is likely to be a valuable acquisition, but upon this head 
we cannot yet speak with confidence. 
The cocks-foot grass, (Daetylis glomerata L.) known in Ameri¬ 
ca by the name of orchard grass, is an imperfect perennial, and 
grows naturally on dry sandy soils. It is a native of the United 
States. This grass may be known by its coarse appearance, both 
of the leaf and spike; and also by its whitish green hue. It is pro¬ 
bably better adapted than any other to sow with clover, on lands 
intended for pasture. Its good properties consist in its early and 
rapid growth, and in its resistance of drought; but all agree, that 
to obtain its greatest value, it should be kept closely cropped. 
Sheep will pass over every other grass to feed upon it. If suffered 
to grow without being cropped, it becomes coarse and harsh. Both 
Arthur Young and Mr. Cooke commend it highly, and the latter 
cultivates it on an extensive scale at Holkham. Col. Powell, of 
Pennsylvania, after cultivating it ten years, declares it produces 
more pasturage than any artificial grass he has ever seen in Ame¬ 
rica. After being fed very close, it has been found to afford good 
pasture after remaining five days at rest. It is suited to all arable 
soils. It it abounds in seeds, which are easily gathered; but on 
account of its peculiar lightness, (the bushel weighing but twelve 
to fourteen pounds,) the seed should be spread on a floor, and 
sprinkled with water a day or two before it is sown, that it may 
swell and more readily vegetate. Two bushels of seed are sown to 
the acre, or half this quantity with clover. The orchard grass 
should be cut early, except intended for seed, as it diminishes two- 
sevenths in value, as hay, by being permitted to ripen its seeds. It 
will bear cutting as early as clover; and the latter swath is very 
abundant. 
The ivoolly soft grass, (Holcvs lanatus L.) is an imperfect pe¬ 
rennial, and rather late flowering grass, of a soft unsubstantial ap¬ 
pearance, and found chiefly in poor dry soils, but grows on all. 
Cattle generally dislike it; and though it abounds in seed, it is sel¬ 
dom propagated artificially. 
Subject 2. Of tall or hay grasses of permanent duration. 
JYo permanent grass has been found equal to the rye-grass, in Bri¬ 
tain, for the purposes of convertible husbandry, but others have been 
selected, which are considered useful for hay meadows. The princi¬ 
pal of these are the foxtail, fescue and meadow grass. In the United 
States timothy is most generally sown with clover for all purposes; 
though, as we become better acquainted with them, orchard grass 
and tall meadow oat will supercede it in a measure in convertible 
husbandry. The nutritive property of these grasses, of perennial 
rye-grass, and of that singular grass florin, are thus given by Sir 
H. Davy: 
Systematic Name. 
English Name. 
Whole quantity of soluble 1 
or nutritive matter. 
| Mucilage or starch. 
Saccharine matter or sugar. | 
Gluten or albumen. 
Extract, or matter rendered 
insoluble during evapora¬ 
tion. 
Festuca loliacea,. 
Spike fescue grass, * * 
19 
15 
2 
• • 
2 
Holcus odoratus,. 
Sweet scented soft “ 
82 
72 
4 
• • 
6 
Anthoxanthum vernum, 
Sweet scented vernal 
50 
43 
4 
• • 
3 
Alopecurus pratensis,* • 
Meadow foxtail gr’ss 
33 
24 
3 
• • 
6 
Poa fertilis,. 
Fertile meadow gr’ss 
78 
65 
6 
• • 
7 
Poa trivialis,. 
Rough meadow gr’ss 
39 
29 
5 
• « 
6 
Cynosurus cristatus, •• 
Crested dogstail gr’ss 
35 
28 
3 
• • 
4 
Lolium perenne,. 
Perennial rye grass,* 
39 
26 
4 
• • 
5 
Agrostis stolonifera,. • • 
Fiorin,. 
54 
46 
5 
i 
2 
Fiorin cut in winter, • 
76 
64 
8 
i 
3 
Of the fescue grasses there are three species in the highest esti¬ 
mation as meadow hay grasses, viz: the meadow, tall and spiked 
fescue. The F. pratensis, or the meadow or fertile fescue grass, is 
found in most rich pastures in England, and is highly grateful to 
every description of stock. As a hay grass it loses two-thirds by 
being left uncut till the seed is ripe. 
The tall fescue, (Festuca elalior,) is closely allied to F. praten¬ 
sis, except that it is larger in every respect, its produce being near¬ 
ly three times greater than either of the other varieties. It is in¬ 
digenous in the United States. It appears by the Woburn experi¬ 
ments to be a first rate grass. 
The spiked fescue grass resembles the rye-grass in appearance, 
is considered superior to it either for hay or pasture, and improves 
in proportion to its age. 
Of the fescue grasses, the purple, (F. rubra,,) the hard, (F. du- 
riuscula,) floating (F.Jluitans,) and perhaps some other varieties, 
are indigenous in the United States, but they have not been parti¬ 
cularly recognized or cultivated artificially among us; nor have 
their seeds been vended in our shops. 
The meadow foxtail grass, (Alopecurus pratensis,) possesses 
the advantages of early growth, and its product and nutriment are 
pretty abundant. It almost invariably constitutes one of several 
kinds, which are sown together by the English farmers for pasture; 
and affords withal a tolerable crop of hay. It shoots very rapidly 
after mowing or feeding, and produces a plentiful after swath. It 
does best in moist soils, whether of loams, clays or reclaime'd bogs. 
It abides nine or ten years. Sheep and horses have a better relish 
for it than oxen. Eaton says this grass grows in Pennsylvania 
and about New-York. It is a desirable variety on a farm, as its 
seeds, which are abundant, ripen early, and spread over the mea¬ 
dows. 
The great or smooth stalked meadow grass, the spear grass, or 
June grass of America, (Foa pratensis,) is distinguished by its 
height, smooth stem and creeping roots. Sale says it is the best 
of all grasses. All animals eat it, and it affords the best hay and 
richest pasture. It abounds in all our grounds, without the trouble 
of sowing. 
The roughish meadoio grass, (Poa trivialis,) is a native of the 
northern and middle states. It resembles the preceding species; 
but while this delights in moisture, and in situations that are shel¬ 
tered, the spear grass is partial to dry pastures. On drawing it 
between the fingers, this feels rough, while the other is smooth. 
It is however suited to good moist loams and clays, and it multi¬ 
plies much by seed as well as root. On grounds suited to its 
growth, which Salisbury denominates low wet soils, consisting of 
heavy loams and clays, it possesses, he says, all that is necessary 
for either pasture or hay. 
The above are six of the best British grasses for either dry or 
watered meadows. They are sown in various proportions with 
clover and rye-grass. 
As hay grasses adapted for particular soils and situations, the 
catstail or timothy, floating fescue, and florin grasses have been re¬ 
commended. The two last, although indigenous, have not hitherto 
been artificially cultivated in the United States; but the former is 
very extensively employed in the north and east. 
The catstail, or timothy grass, (Phleum pratense,) is often de¬ 
nominated in the east herdsgrass. It is indigenous, and grows in 
both wet and dry soils. This is one of the most nutritious grasses 
that is cultivated; and our experience teaches that it is peculiar¬ 
ly adapted to our climate, and to the wants of our farm stock. And 
it should not escape the observation of the farmer, that by the ex¬ 
periments of Sinclair, (see table) it affords more than double the 
nutriment when cut in the seed, to what it does when cut in the 
flower. In tenacious, moist and strong soils, it is entitled to a 
precedence, perhaps, over any other species of grass. Yet, for the 
reasons already stated, it is not so well adapted to be cut with clo¬ 
ver, for hay; while the small product of the after swath in our dry 
hot summers, compared with that of some other grasses, shows 
that it ought not to be relied upon for pastures. Another conside¬ 
ration which renders this grass particularly worthy of cultivation, 
is the seed which it affords, and which may be saved without great¬ 
ly deteriorating the value of the hay. From ten to thirty bushels 
of seed may be taken from an acre of this grass, which of itself, at 
ordinary prices, affords a handsome profit on the crop. 
