Although we have over 1,000 species of grasses growing in this country, not more than a score are in general cultivation, and these are sown on vari ous types of soils and under very dissimilar climatic conditions. The sowing of grass seed at all is mod ern, not having been in common practice either here or in England two hundred years ago, pre vious to which time land was allowed to seed itself as best it could.
(4) The earliness and persistency of the herbage; its ability to carry stock throughout the season. As already stated, a succession of grasses is generally advised for pas ture. Taking the period of bloom as indicative of maturity, the order would be as follows, in New York: May (end) : Meadow foxtail, orchard grass, Kentucky blue-grass.
June : Meadow foxtail, orchard-grass, Kentucky blue-grass, tall oat-grass, red clover (some plants), white clo ver, alsike clover (some plants), hard fescue.
June (end) : Meadow fescue, timothy, awnless biome, alsike and red clo ver, Canada blue-grass.
July : Red-top, Canada blue-grass. Not all of the above grasses could be maintained on the same land for a long notes are suggestive ; all dates refer to New York conditions : Meadow foxtail thrives on damp, rich land, and on such furnishes feed from early May on. Its period of succulent growth and bloom extends well into July under such conditions, some individuals not blooming until the latter date. It is relished by all stock.
Meadow fescue is considered to be one of the best hay and pasture grasses. It is relished by all stock, but will not thrive unless the land is in good condition. It is suited to permanent grass-land only, since it takes two or three years to attain its highest productivity.
Both meadow foxtail and meadow fescue are little known to American farmers, but they are much prized in England and merit attention here.
Orchard-grass is readily eaten by all stock during May and early June. It withstands drought well, but becomes coarse during July. If mown, the aftermath is readily eaten.
Kentucky blue-grass is relished by most stock if grown on land in good condition ; if spindly and poor, it is not readily grazed. If well grown, few grasses are better for permanent pasture.
Tall oat-grass is not readily eaten by stock, except in small areas.
Red and alsike clovers are readily grazed by all stock and are used for hay. They furnish feed throughout the season if there is sufficient moisture, but are not long-lived plants in the eastern United States. They are used for temporary grass-land.
White clover is used entirely for pasture.
Timothy is the great hay grass. It is the grass for one- to three-year leys in the eastern United States. Some plants are adapted to grazing, and opinions differ accordingly as to its value as a pasture grass.
Awnless brome grass (Brontvg incrmis) is com paratively new. Its place seems to be that of a pasture grass, where land is to be retained for a term of years as pasture. For permanent pasture its value is undetermined.
Red-top is used for permanent and temporary grass-land, both as meadow and as pasture. It shows great power of adaptation and much varia tion.
Canada blue-grass is esteemed as a pasture grass in parts of New York and Canada. It is adapted to heavy clay soils, which have been badly eroded and will grow nothing better.
Among other grasses of less importance are crested dog's-tail, which is of little value as a pasture grass ; perennial and Italian rye-grass, which, although useful in England, have not proved of general value here. Sweet-scented vernal grass is of little or no value. Quack, although a valuable grass for pasture and meadow, is almost never sown, because of its weedy tendencies.
(5) The quality, digestibility and palatability of the herbage and of the different grasses evidently vary widely, but there is still insufficient infor mation.
The grasses to sow.
From the foregoing it is evident that in seeding grass-land the following points warrant considera tion (1) Choose grasses that yield heavily under the local climatic and soil conditions. This is best de termined by growing the different grasses sepa rately on plats and noting the results during a term of years.
In the eastern states the following grasses do best on moist soils : red-top, fowl meadow-grass, meadow fescue, meadow foxtail, Italian rye-grass.
For clays and heavy learns, alsike clover and timothy do well for hay, while Kentucky blue-grass, Canada blue-grass, white clover and a little meadow fescue should be added if the land is needed for pasture. Awnless brome is also doing well where it has been tried, but its use is still in the experimental stage. On average good land, red clover, red-top, timothy and Kentucky blue grass are probably the least fastidious, orchard grass and meadow fescue being a little more ex acting.