DACTTUS GLOMERATA, L., ORCHARD GRASS. 117 



kinds, especially if the grass is cropped short. It seems to do 

 equally well upon heavy clay and sandy soil ; and any rich and 

 well drained soil seems suited to it. It germinates about as 

 easily as oats; and, with good seed, no difficulty is experienced 

 in getting a ' stand ' that will endure moderate cropping the first 

 fall after seeding. As might be inferred from its common name, 

 it does better when moderately shaded, and is admirably suited 

 to orchard culture ; yet there are few grasses that will so well 

 endure the prolonged sunshine of our dry seasons. For these 

 reasons we feel safe in recommending this grass to the farmers 

 of central Kansas for the purposes of pasture. 



"Clover has always thrived with orchard grass, besides furnish- 

 ing to animals that variety of food so agreeable to the taste. We 

 have found that orchard grass is relished even by swine, and 

 therefore it makes excellent 'hog pastures.' In our experience, 

 too, no amount of tramping or close grazing at any season has 

 been able to injure a well-rooted sod. 



"Orchard grass will endure late seeding better, perhaps, than 

 any other sort; but this operation ought not to be delayed much 

 beyond the middle of April." 



Still later on he concludes as follows: 



" Of all the large number of grasses that have been tested at 

 the College Farm during the past twelve years, this has proved 

 the most generally useful, because i 1, a 'stand' is easily and 

 quickly obtained ; 2, it yields wonderfully of j^asturage and hay 

 if the land is good — indeed orchard grass is such a gross feeder 

 that it is not worth a trial upon very poor land ; 3, it does not 

 winter-kill, does not 'head out,' is not injured by too close crop- 

 ping, and will survive an uninterrupted four months' drought. 

 It winter-killed badly in 1885-6." 



Hear a few good words from Dr. Bessey. 



" The nutritive value of orchard grass, as determined by 

 chemical analysis, shows it to rank well up toward the high value 



