THE GRASSES. -- SHALL WE SOW A GREATER VARIETY?
The value of grasses for pasture and hay
for our stock is hardly second in importance
to that of their grain for human food. In
new countries of the United States, about
the only grasses cultivated are timothy,
Phleum pratense,) frequently sown with clover on dry land; and red top (Agrostis vulgaris) on moist low land or marshes.

Besides these, after a few years, several
others creep in and increase the variety and
improve quality of old meadows and pastures. Orange County, in the State of New
York has become famous throughout our
land for the excellent quality of her butter
and cheese. Great care is taken in their
manufacture, but the selection of grasses for
pasture is by no means overlooked. In the
transactions of the Agricultural Society for
1865, X. A. Willard reports that he made extensive inquiries of the best dairymen as to
the kinds of grasses employed. Some affirmed that it was impossible to obtain the
best flavored butter, or so large a result from
recently re seeded grounds of clover and
timothy. The grasses there found in old pastures, are June or Kentucky blue grass (Poa
pratensis), the fowl meadow grass (Poa serotina), meadow fescue, (Festuca pratensis) red
top, (Agrostis aulgaris,) the wire grass, (Poa
compressa,) and the sweet-scented vernal and
vanilla grass. Timothy, orchard grass, red
clover and other forage plants are also grown
in new pastures and meadows. Here are
mentioned six species for pastures, and a
fewer number for meadows.

An elaborate article on the grasses of
Pennsylvania, by J. M. McMinn, appeared
in the New York Tribune two years ago.
There, in the fine grazing fields, where considerable attention had been given to the subject, are found about six leading grasses unless a determined destruction of all but one or
two had been practiced. In the pastures are
found green grass, (Poa pratensis)-observe
the common name is different from the one
used in New York-timothy, red top, false
red top (Tricuspis seslerioides) blue grass (Poa
compressa) fesaque grass, (Festuca pratensis).
In the meadows are found rough meadow
grass (Poa trivialis), dwarf meadow grass
(Poa annua), feather grass (Holcus lanatus),
fall meadow grass (Arrhenatherum avenaceum), sweet-cented meadow grass (Anthoxanthum adoratum), and manna grass (Poa aquatica). Others, which it might be tedious
to mention, are found in their orchards and
shaded lawns, others on dry hills, others
still on lake meadows, and yet others mostly
different from any of the rest on marshes of
the sea shore.

In various parts of the Southern States
are found species differing from any yet mentioned. If some of these best suited to a
locality are wanting, others will take their
places, though they may not be exactly
adapted to the soil and climate.

Let us take a glance at our English brethren across the water. Although some of us
are fond of saying that they do not equal the
people of the United States in pianos, sewing machines, reapers, Yankee notions, and
some other modern inventions, yet they have
for a great many years been celebrated for
their fine pastures and meadows. They have
tried & great many valuable experiments in
this direction, while in our younger country,
with its vastly greater variety of soil and
climate, very little has been done. In a prize
essay by Prof. James Buchman, of the Royal
Agricultural College, 1854, he divides the
grasses into five groups.

1st. Jungle or bush grasses; he mentions
nine of these. 2d. Aquatic or water grasses;
he mentions eight of little value. 3d. Marine or sea side grasses; he gives names of
five. 4th. Meadow or pasture grasses; he
mentions twenty or more, all of which are
cultivated and prove valuable. This does not
include a large number often called grasses, as
red clover. Though selections are made for
certain soils, it does not stand to reason that
one or two grasses are best for all localities,
any more than one medicine is good for all
diseases. The Englishmen selects some kinds
of grass for their soil or upland pastures,
others for stiff clays, others for rich deep
loams, others for meadows which are subject
to periodic floods along the banks of rivers,
and still others for irrigated meadows, in
which the water can be easily controlled.
Our English author mentions a fifth class,
agrarian grasses, twelve species, though part
of them are often great pests on account of
their long underground roots or early seeding. Here is a contrast to the English account just referred to: S. D. Harris, in a prize essay for which he was awarded fifty
dollars by the State Agricultural Society of
Ohio, 1858, page 252, says: "Of the grasses
that may be called indigmous and at the
same time having the virtues of what are
called tame grasses, there are but three

kinds deserving of culture in Ohio. These
are the Poa pratentis, Poa compressa and
Trifolium repens, and all worthy of cultivation from any source on arable land are
Timothy, red top (Ayrostis vulgaris,) orchard grass, red clover, and for scarcity of crop
occasionally German millet and common millet. We should suffer no loss were all the
rest stricken from our fields at once." Here
for most uses then, he names three grasses-
and one of them a clover -- and two more in
extreme cases. Six species in all. Cattle,
sheep and horses, would, no doubt, thrive on
plenty of these, but they could hardly from
experience say "variety is the spice of life.'
Pigs will fatten on corn and water alone, but'
they will be healthier with a greater variety
of food and will grow more rapidly. In England and Scotland the best farmers sow as
many as twenty-one kinds of grass seed
mixed together. In some cases fewer kinds
are sown, but we cannot read of a mixture
recommended which contains less than eleven
or more kinds. Who ever heard of the like
on an American farm? Who dare say that
one or two or three kinds are better than
more for all cases, all climates and seasons,
soils and uses? Are we not deficient in our
attention to this important subject ?
W. J. B.