25 



Hmigarian or Smooth Brome (Bromus inermis Leyss.) (Qg. G) with- 

 stands drouglit and cold, and is perfectly adapted to conditions 

 existing in Iowa. It makes excellent growth and more nearly 

 reaches the ideal of a farmer's grass than any other sort intro- 

 duced in recent years. Under favorable conditions two crops can 

 be cut in a single season, and the aftermath is excellent. Hunga- 

 rian Brome commends itself to the farmers of central and western 

 Iowa. This is the Eussian 

 grass or Russian Brome- 

 grass of some writers. 



Kentucky Blue-grass ( Poa 

 pratensis L.) (fig. 7) is the 

 chief pasture grass of cen- 

 tral and western Iowa, 

 though not so prominent 

 in northwestern Iowa. It 

 does fully as well in and 

 about Jefterson, Carroll, 

 and Logan as in north- 

 eastern, southwestern, and 

 southern Iowa. South- 

 western Iowa has some- 

 times been called the Blue- 

 grass region of the State. 

 The spring of 189G in cen- 

 tral Iowa was early, and 

 in many cases cattle were 

 turned into the pastures 

 before the 1st of May, from ■ 

 which time to the loth of 

 July this grass is gener- 

 ally at its best. Although 

 checlvcd by a short mid 

 summer drought, a vigor- 

 ous growth was induced by 

 rains in the latter part of 

 July, so that during Au- 

 gust and September pas- 

 tures looked as green as 

 they did in May. It is not 



uncommon for many farmers to feed in August, but the excellent 

 condition of the grass pasture rendered this entirely unnecessary 

 in 1896. 



In 1895, and especially 1894, because of the great drought in Iowa, many 

 farmers fed green corn fodder in August. Blue-grass can not, 

 therefore, be depended on every season, but it is reliable and safe 

 as a pasture grass most seasons. Green corn fodder is a safe sub- 



FiG. 7.— Kentucky Blue-graas (Poa pralensis): a, a 

 apikelet; h, the Horet, «lu>«ing the hairs or wool at 

 the baae. 



