TIMOTHY AND COCKSFOOT STRAIN SELECTION

Timothy (Phleum pratense) as a pasture species is well known as a late-maturing grass which thrives in damp situations but also grows quite well in a variety of soils. It is a highly palatable grass requiring a relatively fertile soil and apart from growing well in temperate climates shows to advantage also in the colder temperate zones. Timothy has been most extensively used in the United States of America, and is regarded as an important species in Canada and in northern Europe. In Sweden it is considered to be the most important of the hay grasses. In each of these countries it has been grown either alone, or with red clover, to provide hay crops, but in recent years the increasing interest in grazing pastures has suggested the necessity to locate and develop varieties or strains of timothy specially adapted for use in pasture mixtures.