Timothy Grass, an agricultural grass (phleum pratense), which takes this name from Timothy Hansen, who cultivated it extensively in Maryland, and brought it into notice. In some parts of the country it is called Herd's grass, a name which leads to confusion, as the red-top (agrostis vulgaris) is called Herd's grass in Pennsylvania and some other states; in England it is known as cat's-tail. The genus phleum has its one-flowered spikelets in dense spikes; its structure is illustrated under Grasses. A native species, P. alpimim, is found on the higher mountains, but P. pratense is supposed to have been introduced from Europe, where it is found from the Mediterranean to the arctic regions. It was first cultivated for hay in this country, and the seeds were taken to England as a novelty about 100 years ago; but it is much less esteemed there than with us. Timothy is a perennial, with a rather coarse stem, which in dry soils thickens at the base and becomes bulbous; its average height is 2 to 3 ft., but it sometimes grows to 5 or even 7 ft. It forms the great bulk of the hay crop of the country, and is sown to the neglect of other grasses which are much better suited to some soils.

Analysis shows, in 100 parts of timothy hay, 9.7 of albuminoids, 48.8 of carbohydrates, 3 of fat, and 22.7 of crude fibre.