228 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
predominate in well laid down land; and even should the acre- 
able produce, when the grasses ripen, be a little greater than 
when in flower, yet it would not be economical to allow them 
to advance to that state, unless the excess so obtained exceeded 
the loss which is invariably sustained in the aftermath when 
the plants are allowed to mature their seed before being first 
cut—a loss which, on the average, amounts to half the bulk 
and value of the aftermath. 
We may, then, safely assume that, so far as the quantity of 
produce (including the aftermath,) is concerned, we obtain the 
maximum by mowing the grasses when in blossom. But, be¬ 
fore recommending this as the best stage of growth at which 
to cut the grasses, we must consider their quality at the 
different periods. We possess little reliable data to guide us 
in this inquiry. In George Sinclair’s work we are presented 
with a statement of the relative nutritive value of all grasses 
at the time of flowering and when ripe, and his estimates have 
been quoted by every writer on the subject since his day. We 
always regarded his experiments as almost worthless, and as 
calculated to give rise to erroneous conclusions. In these ex¬ 
periments it was assumed that the quantity of matter given up 
bv any grass to boiling water was a test of its \alue, at all 
events, as compared with other grasses. No man who is 
acquainted with the present state of the science of agriculture 
will accept this notion, and the sooner it is expunged from our 
ifext-books the better. 
To determine the relative value of the several grasses, we 
require a full and rigid examination, chemical and practical: 
chemical, to test them from a scientific point of view; and 
practical, to check erroneous theoretrical deductions. And we 
require a similar inquiry to elucidate the relative value of any 
grass or meadow in different stages of growth. 
When we undertook the preparation of this Essay, we placed 
ourselves in communication with the leading agricultural 
chemists, in the hope of eliciting some specific information on 
this subject. In reply, Mr. Lawes, of Rothamstead reputation, 
remarks:—“I am afraid you cannot obtain any satisfactory 
