ORCHARD GRASS. 55 



SUMMARY. 



Orchard grass is of considerable value for early and late pasture, 

 and in the southern part of the region where it is grown can he pas- 

 tured nearl}' the entire year. When used for pasture, bluegrass and 

 wiiite clover are commonly grown with it. 



Orchard grass hay is of value, especially when it contains red clover, 

 and can l)e fed to horses successfully. It is a good forage for cattle 

 that are being fattened for market. 



When grown for seed, orchard grass is a profitable crop, as it yields 

 on an averace lo to I'i bushels to the acre and sells for $1.25 a bushel. 

 Aside from securing a crop of seed, the aftergrowth may be either 

 pastured or cut for hay. This aftergrowth makes a very fair quality 

 of hay, and when cut during the latter part of August or September 

 gives a yield of from one-half to one ton to the acre. 



Although not previously stated, orchard grass is quite valuable for 

 binding soils, and on rough land that washes badly it can be used for 

 this purpose effectively. 



Orchard grass may be seeded either in the autumn or spring with 

 about e(pially good results. Spring seeding, however, seems to be the 

 most common practice. In most cases it is sown broadcast on fall wheat 

 on fields that have been in wheat the previous year. One bushel of 

 seed is a sufficient (juantity when the grass is to be grown for seed. 

 When grown for hay or pasture, more than this should be used. A 

 good catch may be obtained by scattering the straw evenly and thinly 

 on fall wheat in early spring. 



Red clover can be profital)ly sown with orchard grass at the rate of 

 1 bushel to 5 or T acres. Mixtures of orchard grass with other 

 grasses, especially with tall meadow^ oat-grass and meadow fescue, are 

 giving good results for hay and pasture in places where they are being 

 tried. 



The average life of an orchard grass meadow is from five to seven 

 years, after which it is plowed up, usually late in the fall, and put into 

 corn. 



Orchard grass is harvested for seed from about June 15 to June 25. 

 It is cut with an ordinary grain binder and bound into small bundles, 

 requiring about 5 pounds of twine to 100 bushels of seed. The 

 bundles are put three in a shock and ])ound at the top with a band of 

 grass to make them more stable and to prevent the seed from shatter- 

 ing. Thrashing is done from the shock after the grass has stood in 

 the field from two to four weeks, with an ordinary separator, using 

 special riddles. 



100— VI 



