Grey Wiley, age 12, of Columbus, Ohio, for his question:

HOW IMPORTANT IS TIMOTHY GRASS?

Timothy is a valuable grass crop that farmers raise for hay. It actually ranks as the single most important hay grass cultivated in North America.

Timothy is widely grown in the United States and Canada. The plant was named in honor of Timothy Hanson, who is said to have introduced the grass into the Carolinas about 1720. It also is called herd's grass. The English call it cat's tail grass.

Timothy is a perennial, cool season plant. It grows in tufts from 1 1/2 to 3 1/2 feet high. The slender stems bear round spikes of tiny, tightly packed flowers. Timothy is usually harvested as hay.

Timothy is often grown in the United States and Canada in rotation with oats and other grains. It does not last long when cattle or other animals graze on it continually. It is not considered a satisfactory pasture grass unless it is mixed with hardier grasses.

New York is the leading state in production of timothy hay while Ohio leads in the production of commercial timothy seed.