238 GRASSES AND HOW TO GROW THEM. 



bee, since in these both the soil and climatic condi- 

 tions are exceedingly favorable to its growth. 



Soils. — As implied in what has already been stated, 

 qnack grass will grow in almost any kind of a soil. But 

 it also has its favorite soils. It grows probably in 

 greatest luxuriance in clay loam soils, moist and friable, 

 but it also grows with much vigor on the black loam soils 

 of the prairie so largely made up of decayed vegetation. 

 It growls with much persistency even in stiff clays. In 

 rich lands it luxuriates and also in the alluvial soils of 

 river bottoms. In sands and gTavels low in fertility it 

 can fight the battle of existence, but from these it is 

 much more easily dislodged than from soils rich and 

 friable. 



Place in the Rotation. — ^o place can or should be as- 

 signed to such a plant in any regular rotation because 

 of the trouble which it gives in being removed from 

 the soil. It Avould not be wise even to sow it in pas- 

 tures mi:^ed in character which are intended to be per- 

 manent as it would certainly crowd out all or nearly 

 all the other sorts because of its aggressive character. 

 But the author is by no means convinced that it should 

 never be sown. It may be wise, in some instances, to 

 sow it on infertile sands too poor to sustain other grasses 

 in good form. There may also be a place for it on cer- 

 tain lands in the semi-arid region east of the Rocky 

 mountains, especially in such of them as can be broken 

 by the plough. It would seem reasonable to suppose 

 that this grass Avr)ul<l furnish mueli more food from a 

 given area wlion managed as described below (see p. 



