220 GRASSES AND HOW TO GROW THEM. 



cloth or canvas to catcli the seed that shells. The seed 

 may be threshed with a common threshing machine, but 

 certain special attachments to the same facilitate the 

 work and prevent the loss of seed. The seed being rela- 

 tively large is more easily separated from the chaff by 

 winnowing than the seed of certain other grasses. When 

 the seed crop is harvested the residue of the crop left un- 

 cut may then be cut and made into hay. The seed crop 

 may also be harvested by setting the binder so low as to 

 cut the entire crop. But to harvest it thus would consid- 

 erably prolong the period necessary to cure it sufficient- 

 ly for threshing, which would probably result in the loss 

 of much seed, and the labor of threshing would also 

 be considerably increased. The seed weighs 12 pounds 

 to the bushel. The yield runs from 10 to 20 bushels per 

 acre. Certain of the lands in the Palouse country in 

 Washington now furnish seed of an excellent quality. 



Reneiving. — American experience in the renewal of 

 this grass either in pastures or for meadows is not plen- 

 tiful. The very meagre records, however, which bear 

 upon this question show that it responds readily to top 

 dressings with farmyard manure. Reasoning from gen- 

 eral principles, it would seem to be easy of renewal on 

 congenial soils, since it readily produces seed. The seed 

 sheds easily and the germinating power of the seed is 

 good. Where the stand for meadow or pasture has 

 become too thin, therefore, it woukl seem reasonable to 

 suppose that, adding more seed, fall or spring, but more 

 particular!}^ in the early fall, and covering the same 

 by plentiful harrowing would produce renewal in the 

 crop. In some situations also where the soil and cli- 



