106 
THE CULTIVATOR 
Vke Grasses—-Darlington’s Discourse* 
We have before us, “ A Discourse on the Character, 
Properties, and Importance to Man, of the Natural 
Family of Plants called Graminee, or true Grasses, de¬ 
livered as a lecture before the class of the Chester 
County Cabinet of Natural Science, Feb. 19, 1841, by 
William Darlington, M. D.” 
To those who are acquainted with the extent and 
value of Dr. Darlington’s labors in the field of Natu¬ 
ral Science, not a word in commendation of this Dis¬ 
course will be necessary ; for although written in a 
manner calculated to interest a popular audience, it 
abounds with valuable facts, and exhibits on every page, 
proof of his familiarity with, and mastery of his sub¬ 
ject. We regret that we are unable to give more than 
a few extracts, where there is so much to instruct. 
His definition of what constitutes a grass, and the 
marks by which this natural family may be distinguish¬ 
ed from other plants, is one of the best we have seen ; 
it is as follows :— 
“ Whenever we meet with a plant, having a cylindrical, join¬ 
ted stem, with the joints solid, and the intervening portions hol¬ 
low—or, in a few instances, filled with a pith-like substance,— 
the leaves alternate, one originating at each joint, embracing 
the stem with its base, and forming a sheath which is slit on 
one side down to its origin,—and the flowers protected by those 
peculiar envelopes, known by the name of chaff ,,—we may take 
it for granted that we have before us a true grass. Brief and 
simple as is this definition, it will be found to contain the most 
obvious characteristics of the tribe ; sufficient, it is believed, to 
distinguish it from all others.” 
After mentioning some of the common grasses, such 
as are universally known as such, he proceeds to men¬ 
tion some not generally recognized as such ; among 
which are included Indian corn, broom corn, sugar 
cane and the bamboo, the last of which is a true grass, 
though sometimes growing 60 feet high. “ The known 
grasses of Chester county, native, naturalized and cul¬ 
tivated, amount to about 100 species, or one-tenth of 
the whole number of flowering plants inhabiting the 
same district.” In so numerous a family, resemblan¬ 
ces must exist which the practiced botanist only can 
detect ; and in the want of attention, or want of know¬ 
ledge on this point, the strange doctrine of the trans¬ 
mutation of plants has its origin. On this subject, we 
extract the following note, containing an allusion to a 
man who used to write himself down ‘ United States 
Geologist,’ an allusion in our opinion, not more point¬ 
ed than just:— 
“It is a curious circumstance, in the history of this vulgar 
error, that, in former times, when the occult sciences flourish¬ 
ed, the peasantry of Europe imagined all our cultivated small 
grains to be subject to this kind of transmutation:—that wheat 
was often changed, first into Rye, then into Barley, from Bar¬ 
ley to Ray Grass, or Lolium, from Lolium to Bromus, or Cheat, 
and finally, from Bromus to Oats ! They supposed, moreover, 
that by the agency of a fertile soil, the degenerate grass could 
be gradually restored to its original form; or at least, that it 
could be brought back as far as Rye !— “ Veteres credebant fru- 
mentum per gradus degenerare in macriori terra, atque Triti- 
cum in Secale, Secale in Hordeum, Hordeum in Bromum, Bro- 
mum in Avenam et sic per gradus descendere, immo credebant 
etiam semina Bromi vel Hordei in fertiliori terra producere 
Secale.”— Caroli a Linne, Amcenitates Academic.®, Tom. 5.— 
Even in our own enlightened age and country, as we are wont 
to phrase it—there are yet many persons strongly tinctured 
with the notion, that Wheat is frequently transmuted into Bro¬ 
mus, or Cheatthough I have not met with any so full in the 
faith, as to believe they can bring the degenerate offspring back 
again to its pristine state. It is remarkable, also, that this ob¬ 
solete notion—so entirely exploded among scientific Natural¬ 
ists—has lately found an advocate in a gentleman of some pre¬ 
tensions as a Geologist,—and who has, more recently, acquired 
considerable notoriety, by his researches concerning territori¬ 
al limits : I mean Mr. Featherstonhaugh. As that gentleman 
has been so astute in detecting the mutability of the Laws of 
Nature, we ought not, perhaps, to be surprised at his discove¬ 
ry of the extraordinary mutation in our North-Eastern Boun¬ 
dary, since it was established by the fathers of the Republic! 
It is quite as likely that landmarks should change their locali¬ 
ty, as that objects of Natural History should lose the distinctive 
characters impressed on them by the hand of the Creator.” 
The following remarks on the value of grasses for 
hay, and the best time of cutting them for this purpose, 
will commend themselves to the attention of every far¬ 
mer. We have, however, been accustomed to give the 
first place among the grasses to ‘ Timothy or Herd’s 
grass,’ rather than the Meadow or June grass. It may 
be well to mention here, that the clovers, lucerne, &e., 
though ranked by the farmer among the grasses, do not 
belong to them, but an entirely distinct family. Still, 
most farmers, and indeed from habit, many who are 
acquainted with this difference, speak of the clover as 
a grass, and rank its seeds among the grass seeds. 
“In an Agricultural point of view, the superior value of the 
grasses as materials for pasture and hay, is owing to the large 
quantity of saccharine matter vyith which they abound about 
the time of flowering; and which is the source of that rich, 
sweet odor, observable in well-preserved hay. This saccharine 
matter, which pervades the whole plant before flowering, and is 
most perfectly elaborated at that epoch, is designed to be ulti¬ 
mately concentrated and deposited in the seeds, chiefly in the 
form of farina ; and hence we find the herbage of comparative¬ 
ly little value after the fruit is fully matured. The skilful Ag¬ 
riculturist, therefore, when he wishes to have good hay, cuts 
his grass at the moment when the nutritious juices axe most 
perfect, and while they are diffused throughout the plant. But 
when his main, object is the seed, as in our cultivated grains, 
he of course postpones his harvest until the career of vegeta¬ 
tion is finished. It is needless to enlarge on the importance of 
the herbage of the Grasses, in supplying the food of our domes¬ 
tic animals and, indirectly, the animal portion of our own food. 
I will, however, mention those species which are ueemed of 
chief value in our meadows and pastures, naming them in what 
I consider the order of their excellence. 1. The Meadow, or 
Green Grass, erroneously called “Blue Grass,” in Kentucky 
\Poa pratensis, iL.]—2. Timothy? or the u Hcrd s Grass, of the 
Northern States (Phleum pratense, L.) —3. Orchard Grass, 
(Dactulis glomerata, L.)—4. Meadow Fescue, (Festuca praten¬ 
sis, L.)—5. Blue Grass, (Poa compressa, L.) —6. Ray Grass, 
(Lolium perenne, L.)—‘ T. Herd’s Grass, of Penna. oiten call¬ 
ed “Red Top,”—the “Bent Grass,” of the English, (Agrostis 
vulgaris, L .)—and 8. Sweet-scented Vernal Grass, ( Anthoxan - 
thum odoratum, L.) There are a few other Grasses—native, 
or partially naturalized—to be found on our farms,—and which 
are more or less eaten by cattle, when the better ones are want¬ 
ing; but they are of comparatively little value, and good farm¬ 
ers are always desirous to supersede them, as soon as possible, 
by some of those above named. It is remarkable, that all the 
Grasses here enumerated, are believed to have been introduced 
into our country. They are all more or less extensively natu¬ 
ralized ; but some of them require to he regularly sown, to in¬ 
sure a full crop ; and are therefore known as artificial Grasses. 
Those generally cultivated here, are the Timothy and Orchard 
Grass,—and occasionally we see the Ray and Herd’s Grass, or 
Red Top; though these last are not so much esteemed. The 
others are completely naturalized; and when the soil is either 
originally fertile, or adequately improved, the best of them, 
viz. the Meadow Grass and the Fescue, soon appear spontane¬ 
ously in our pastures, and supersede the artificial ones. Now 
and then we hear of attempts to introduce new Grasses to the 
notice of our Agriculturists, accompanied by exaggerated state¬ 
ments of their value, such as the Taller Oat-Grass, (Arena 
elatior, L.) sometimes called “ Grass of the Andesand a few 
years since, one of our coarse indigenous Grasses, called “ Se¬ 
same” or “Gama Grass,” (Tripsacum dactyloidcs, L.,) was so 
extravagantly lauded in the journals, that many lovers of nov¬ 
elties were induced to try the experiment of cultivating it, in 
place of the old approved plants; but, like some other “Expe- 
riments”_that we wot of in our day, it resulted in a total fail¬ 
ure. It is indeed exceedingly doubtful, whether any other 
Grasses are so well adapted to our climate and our wants, as 
those old and long-tried acquaintances of our farmers, which I 
have already enumerated.” 
There can be little question, that when we take into 
view the fact that from the plants technically called 
Grasses, man obtains his bread, and the domestic ani¬ 
mals their food, the family must be considered the most 
important and valuable, of any that Providence has be¬ 
stowed on man. 
Woburn vs. Berkshire Pigs. 
In the May number of the Tennessee Agriculturist, 
is a statement of an experiment made in feeding pigs 
of these two breeds, conducted on the part of the Berk- 
shires by Mr. Fanning, one of the editors of that pa¬ 
per, and on that of the Woburns by Dr. Samuel Mar¬ 
tin. The following is the result, condensed from the 
statements of those gentlemen : 
Berks 
< Sally B.,- 
‘ ( Black Rose,- 
Woburns 
d 
Berenice, 
Bertha, •• 
2 mo’s. 3 mo’s. 
30 lbs. 50 lbs. 
<i . n 
4 mo’s 5 mo’s. 6 mo’s. 
74 lbs. 100 lbs. 145 lbs. 
“ “ 136 lbs. 
116 lbs. 185 lbs. 254 lbs. 
108! lbs. 174 lbs. 232 lbs. 
By this table, it will be seen that Dr. Martin’s pigs 
far exceeded those of his competitor, although, under 
the circumstances, the trial cannot be considered a sat¬ 
isfactory one. Dr. Martin is an extensive breeder in 
Kentucky, and he considers his pigs, a cross of the Wo¬ 
burn with a large English hog which he calls the White 
Berkshire, superior to all others. We are glad to see 
the attention of practical men turned to the great point 
of actual feeding, as after all, the breed that will make 
the most meat with the least expenditure of food, and 
in the least time, must be the most profitable breed. 
But for this purpose, the pigs must not only be accu¬ 
rately weighed, but their food also, so far as regards 
quantity and quality, precisely ascertained. We know 
of no part of the world where these experiments can be 
more advantageously conducted than in the great West, 
and we believe the men are there who will enter upon 
and conduct such a series of experiments most satisfac¬ 
torily. It is to be hoped the propositions of the spirit¬ 
ed editor of the Agriculturist, will receive proper and 
prompt attention from the breeders of the west. 
The weight of Dr. Martin’s pigs at six months old, 
is certainly extraordinary, and probably hard to beat. 
If any of our friends have ascertained the weight of 
tlieir pigs at that age, (live weight, it will be recollect¬ 
ed,) and will furnish us with the names of the breed, 
mode of keeping, weight, &c., we should like it, and it 
might interest others. Although the average increase 
of weight in Dr. Martin’s pigs was great, it was not 
equal to that of a Berkshire fed by Mr. Curd of the 
same State,, or one of the same breed fed by Mr. Marks 
of Onondaso Co., N. Y. Farmers should know no pre¬ 
ference to breeds, any further than their true interest is 
concerned, and that prejudice is unfortunate which pre¬ 
vents their adopting the course which tends most direct¬ 
ly to their prosperity. Careful experiments made by 
competent men, and the results communicated to the 
public, will do mucli to set agriculturists right in this 
important matter. 
Report on the Silk Culture. 
Among the reports made at the late meeting of the 
Cuyahoga County Agricultural Society, ivas one on the 
Culture of Silk from the pen of J. W. Allen, Esq., 
which places the practicability, utility, and necessity of 
the culture in a very lucid and forcible point of view. 
This is a subject which in our opinion should not be 
suffered to sleep until the culture of silk has taken as 
firm a hold as the culture of cotton has in our country. 
What has been done, is sufficient to show what may be 
done, if some of the spirit and energy for which Ame¬ 
ricans are famed, is directed to this point. Wp should 
be pleased to extract largely, but have room for only 
the following :— 
“If it requires a quarter of an acre of land to produce wheat 
sufficient for one barrel of flour, worth five dollars, the same 
extent of land appropriated to the culture of silk, might, and 
should produce ten pounds of silk worth sixty dollars. The 
transportation of a pound of silk worth six dollars, will cost 
no more than a pound of flour worth three cents. The cultiva¬ 
tion of an acre of mulberry trees, need not exceed double the 
expense of a corn crop. But if our estimate be too large by one 
half, the product would still yield a much better return than 
any other crop.” 
WORK FOR THE MONTH. 
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The great business of July at the north, is hay ma¬ 
king ; and so much of the health and profit of the stock 
of the farmer is depending on the quantity and quality 
of the hay made, that it must be considered one of the 
most important labors of the farm. Much of the value 
of hay depends on the time at which the grass from 
which it is made, is cut. All plants intended for nutri¬ 
tion, are found to contain a quantity of saccharine mat¬ 
ter, or substances convertible into sugar ; and the peri¬ 
od when this matter is most abundantly developed in 
the plant, is found to be the best time for cutting it for 
hay. In the grasses, however, there seems to be some 
little difference as to the period of their growth in which 
the most saccharine matter is found, some showing the 
most at the period of flowering, and some at a later 
stage. 
Of the grasses most cultivated for hay in this coun¬ 
try, we name the following, adding from the celebrated 
Woburn experiments, a few items in a tabular form 
that may interest the farmer, as indicating the best time 
for cutting and curing hay 
The clovers, although general¬ 
ly ranked among the grasses, do 
not properly belong to them ; yet 
they are extensively used for ma¬ 
king hay j and the same rules for 
cutting, will apply to them, that 
are adapted to the true grasses. 
From the experiments made at 
Woburn, it will be seen that the 
most favorable time for cutting 
grasses, is usually when the seeds 
are formed, but before the stem 
becomes dry, or the juices have 
been absorbed by the seeds or dri¬ 
ed away. There is reason to be¬ 
lieve that farmers err in both ex¬ 
tremes in this matter; some cut¬ 
ting while too green, or when in 
flower, and others letting the grass 
remain till it becomes dry, or like 
straw. But if there is much de¬ 
pending on the time of cutting, 
there is still more in the method 
or perfection of curing, and it is 
here that the greatest skill of the 
farmer is requisite. 
Unless there is urgent necessity 
for the measure, grass for hay 
should not be cut immediately af¬ 
ter a heavy or prolonged rain. 
There should be time for the 
moisture with which the plant is 
at such times saturated, to be eva¬ 
porated, and this will be done 
much sooner while the grass is 
standing, than if cut and thrown 
into masses. Good weather, and 
a dry clear air, but not too hot a 
sun, will be the best for making 
hay; and there is no climate in 
the world that affords ordinarily 
more such days, than that of the 
United States. 
Hay making is one of the most 
laborious parts of a farmer’s work, 
and he should economize the time 
as much as possible. Mowing 
should be done in the morning. 
The grass cuts easier, is made in¬ 
to hay more readily, and if the la¬ 
borer needs rest, he can take it 
during the hottest part of the day. If the mower com¬ 
mences his work at sunrise, a half day’s work will be 
done by ten o’clock, and he will find two hours rest 
more grateful then, when others are toiling in the sun, 
than it would have been if spent idly in the morning, or 
lost in bed. Shaking out the hay, or raking it, is light 
work compared with mowing ; hence this should be 
done when it can be best borne, and when the frame is 
most invigorated. 
There are two things which the man used to mowing 
never neglects ; one is, to have his sythe sharp, and the 
other, to have it fast on the snath. If you have a poor 
sythe, and are intending to mow through the haymaking 
season 
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, better throw it away, or convert it into any oth- 
If a man wish¬ 
er use, than to think of mowing with it. 
es to wear out quick, let him mow or cradle with a 
dull sythe, and he will be soon gratified. The man who 
has never tried it, can form but a faint idea of the dif¬ 
ference there is in the severity of labor, between mow¬ 
ing with a good sythe, well hung and secured, and a 
poor tool and poorly hung. It is a common thing to set 
hoys mowing with men, but the practice is not to be 
commended. A boy cannot keep up with an experien- ' 
ced mower without slighting his work, or injuring his 
health, and most frequently he will do both. 
There is not one man in ten, perhaps, who pretends 
to mow, that understands his business, or can manage a 
sythe so as to cut all the grass, cut it close to the ground 
as it always should be, and leave the field after raking 
level, and the stubble without ridges to mark every 
swath. But by cutting grass close, the crop is greatly 
increased, as there is a great difference between the 
weight and bulk of the tops and bottoms, and the chance 
greater for a full growth of rowen or after-math. 
