62 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
ST 
Value of Manure. —The best criterion of the intrinsic value ot 
manure, Is the price it bears in the best cultivated agricultural dis¬ 
tricts. We consider Flanders of this description. Manure there 
is an article of commerce; and the towns and villages contribute, 
by the quantities of it they furnish, to fertilize the country. We 
quote from Radcliit; the prices which the various manures bear in 
Flanders, to show their intrinsic worth in husbandry, and to stimu¬ 
late 'our farmers to become provident of these means of fertility and 
profit. 
Farm-yard manure, per load of 1,300 lbs.,..... $0 94 
Dung of sheep, pigeons and poultry, do. do. 1 06 
Sweepings of streets, &.C., . do. do. 0 66 
Ashes, peat and wood mixed,. do. do... 1 62 £ 
Privy manure and urine,. do. dcr. 1 42 
Lime,.do. do. 2 28 
Sheep. —A correspondent to the Tennessee Farmer recommends 
the following application to sheep ; “ When the sheep is shorn, dip 
a cloth in soft soap, and rub the sheep all over—then dip the cloth 
in warm water, and give the sheep a complete lather, and let it go.” 
AN ESSAY ON GRASSES.— ( Concluded from page 49./ 
Sec. II.— Grasses chiefly adapted for pasturage. 
Of pasturage grasses, we shall make a selection of such as have 
been tried to some extent, and of which the seeds are in the course 
of commerce, (in England.) On soils in good condition, and natu¬ 
rally well constituted, no better grasses can be sown for pasturage 
than those we have described as tall grasses for hay meadow; but 
for early and late pasturage, and on secondary sods, there are others 
much more suitable. 
The pasture grasses for early pasturage on all soils, are the anthox- 
anthum odoratum, holcus odoratus, avena pubescens, and poa an¬ 
nua. 
The pasture grasses for late herbage on all soils, are, chiefly, the 
different species of agrostis and phleum. 
The pasture grasses for poor or secondary soils, are the cynosurus 
cristatus, festuca duriuscula and ovina, poa compressa, cristata and 
angustifolia. 
The grasses that afford the most nutritive matter in early spring, are 
the fox-tail grass and the vernal grass. 
The sweet-scented vernal grass, (Anthoxanthum odoratum ,) is com¬ 
mon in almost all the pastures in England, and gives fragrance to 
natural or meadow hay. This grass is of diminutive growth, but is 
esteemed for pasture on account of its early growth. We are ad¬ 
vised by Muhlenburgh, that it delights m moist soils ; by the Bath 
papers, that it does well in clayey loams; and by Dickson, that it 
grows in almost any soils, including sands and bogs. The seed 
of this grass is sold at the seed shops in New-York, Philadelphia 
and Boston. 
The downy oat grass, (Avena pubescens,) possesses several good 
qualities; is hardy, early, and more productive than many others, 
which affect similar soils and situations. It appears well calculated 
for permanent pasture on rich light soils. 
The annual meadow grass, (Poa annua,) is the most common of 
all grasses, and the least absolute in its habits. It hardly requires 
to be sown, as it springs up every where. 
The fine bent grass, (Agrostis vulgaris,) is, according to Eaton, 
the red top of our meadows. Loudon calls it one of the earliest 
grasses. 
The narrow leaved meadow grass, (Poa angustifolia,) is remarkable 
for the early growth of the leaves, which have sometimes grown, by 
the middle of April, more than twelve inches. 
The tall oat grass, ( Avena elatior,) deserves, according to Muhlen- 
burgh and John Taylor, to be placed at the head of good grasses. 
On°the continent of Europe, in comparison with common grass, it is 
found to yield, according to Dickson, in the proportion of twenty to 
two. Dr. Muhlenburgh says it is, of all others, the earliest and best 
grass for green fodder and hay. It possesses the advantage of early, 
quick and tall growth, for which the cock’s-foot is esteemed; tillers 
well, and is admirably well calculated for pasture. We have seen 
it on the 20th June, four and a half feet high. The leaves are nar¬ 
row and fine, resembling some of the poa family. The lattermath, 
it will be perceived, is nearly equal in weight, and superior in nu¬ 
triment to the seed crop. Although Loudon is silent as to its me¬ 
rits, Dickson speaks well of it; says it makes good hay; but is 
most beneficial when retained as pasture. Sinclair says it thrives 
Trifolinm pratense, 
Trifolium repens, 
Lathyrus pratensis. 
best on tenacious clay; and Muhlenburgh prefers for it a clover soil. 
The seed is sold at the shops. 
The upright bent grass, (Agrostis stricla,) is, according to Muhlen¬ 
burgh, the herds-grass of the southern and the fowl meadow of the 
eastern states, and the white-top and red-top mere varieties, under 
different names, of upright bent grass. This grass, embracing both 
varieties, is common in the U. States, and is considered valuable for 
hay as well as pasture, on grounds adapted to its growth, which are 
moist lands, and particularly reclaimed swamps and rich swales. 
Flat stalked meadow grass, (Poa compressa,) is the blue grass 
which is considered a pest in much of our tillage land, from which 
circumstance it may be inferred, that it is a valuable species in pas¬ 
tures on similar soils. It gives but a small crop, but this is highly 
nutricious. 
American cock's-foot, (Daclylis cijnosuroides,) is only known from 
the Woburn experiments. It is an American species. M’Mahon 
terms it the swamp cock’sfoot. As it affords an abundant crop, we 
hope soon to see it brought into further notice. 
The best natural grounds of England, examined carefully during 
various periods of the season, were found, by Sinclair, of Woburn, 
to consist of the following plants: 
Alopecurus pratensis, Vicia sepeunr, 
Dactylis glomerata, Lolium perenne, 
Festuca pratensis, Bromus arvensis, (frequent,) 
Phleum pratense, Poa annua, 
Anthoxanthum odoratum, Avena pratensis, 
Holcus avenaceus. 
These afford the principal grass in the spring, and also a great 
part of the summer produce. 
Avena flaveseens, Poa trivialis, 
Hordeum pratense, Poa pratensis, 
Cynosurus cristatus, Holcus lanatus, 
Festuca duriuscula. 
These yield produce principally in summer and autumn. 
Achillea millifolium, Agrostis stolonifera and palustris, 
Triticum repens. 
These vegetate with most vigor in autumn. 
Ranunculis acris, Plantago lanceolata, Rumere acetosa. 
The first and last of these plants are to be considered as injuri¬ 
ous, and the other is of little value as herbage. 
The above mixture, sown at the rate of four and five bushels to the 
acre, on well prepared soil, without corn or other crop of any kind, 
could hardly fail of producing excellent pasture the following year, 
and for an endless period. The best time for sowing, is July or Au¬ 
gust, as spring sown seeds are apt to suffer with the droughts of 
June and July. 
Of late pasture grasses, the different species of cat’s-tail {phleum,) 
and bent grass (agrostis,) are the chief, and especially the timothy 
and florin grass. The grasses, Sir H. Davy observes, that propa¬ 
gate themselves by stolones, the different species of agrostis, supply 
pasture throughout the year; and the concrete sap, stored up in then- 
joints, renders them a good food, even in winter. 
Of pasture grasses for inferior soils, one of the most durable is the 
dog’s-tail, ( Cynosurus cristatus.) This is a very common grass on 
dry, clayey or firm surfaces, and is one of the best kinds for parks. 
The hard fescue grass, ( F. duriuscula,) is one of the best of the 
dwarf grasses. It is grateful to all kinds of cattle. It is present in 
most good meadows and pastures, and with F. ovina, is the best 
for lawns. 
The festuca glabra and hordiformis, greatly resemble the hard fes¬ 
cue, and may be considered equally desirable as pasture and lawn 
grasses. 
The yellow oat grass, ( Avenaflaveseens,) is very generally cultivated, 
and appears to be a very valuable grass for pasture on a clayey soil. 
Sec. III.— General view of the produce, uses, character, and value of 
the principal British grasses, according to the result of John, Duke 
of Bedford's experiments, at Woburn. 
In all permanent pastures, Sir H. Davy observes, nature has pro¬ 
vided a mixture of various grasses, the produce of which differs at 
different seasons. When pastures are to be made artificially, such 
a mixture ought to be imitated ; and, perhaps, pastures superior to 
the natural ones may be made, by selecting due portions of those 
species of grasses fitted for the soil, which afford respectively the 
greatest quantities of spring, summer, lattermath and winter pro¬ 
duce ; a reference to the results of the Woburn experiments, he 
adds, will show that such a plan of cultivation is very practicable. 
