ORCHARD GRASS 



C. B. Hutchison, Columbia, Missouri 

 Professor of Farm Crops, University of Missouri 



Orchard grass, Dactyiis glomerata, is 

 ^^^^Hf^^^H native throughout most of Europe and 

 I^I^^^^^^^H portions of central Asia and northern 

 ^Hj^^^^^^^B Africa. There are a number of culti- 

 .W »c-«i^ ^m^t^M '^^ted species, but the common form is 

 -^B the only one that has come to be of 

 ^H economic importance. Just when it was 

 m^M brought to this country is not definitely 

 •^^g^gll ''^ ^a k^iown, but probably in early colonial 



j^^^H^ ^|Bd| times, as it was cultivated in Virginia 



before 1760. Like timothy, orchard 

 grass was first cultivated in America, and its culture in Europe 

 did not become important until long after it was well known here. 

 At the present time, it is of relatively more importance in Europe 

 than in this country. • 



DESCRIPTION 



Orchard grass is commonly known in England and- New Zealand 

 as ^' Cocksfoot," because of a fancied resemblance of its spreading 

 one-sided panicle to a cock's foot, a character that is very distinct 

 and which makes the grass easily recognized. It grows in bunches 

 or tussocks, producing few stolons and spreading very little. It 

 does not form a dense sod as does blue grass or redtop. For this 

 reason it is not suitable for seeding alone for hay or pasture, but 

 it is usually sown in mixtures wdth other grasses or with clovers. 

 It is one of the earliest grasses to start in spring and continues 

 its growth until very late in the fall. It is also able to grow 

 during the hot, dry weather of midsummer in the southern and 

 western part of the blue-grass belt, thus excelling blue grass as 

 a midsummer pasture grass in those regions. It grows well in 

 shaded places and makes a desirable gTass for woods pasture. 



[622] 



