ITALIAN RYE GRASS. 283 



This, of coTirf^c, would Icnvc the liaiiliii upon the 

 ground, bnt in any event it is not of very much vahie 

 for food. Because of the ahunchmce of the seed pro- 

 duction, the seed does not command so high a price as 

 that of many of the other grasses. The temptation, 

 therefore, is ever present with seedsmen who are so 

 minded, to mix the seed with that of other grasses which 

 are higlier. With some of these the fraud is not easily 

 detected l^v the unskilled. Seed crops tend much to ex- 

 haust the fertility of the land Avhich, of course, is so far 

 an objection to growing them. 



Rene wing. — Since rye grass is grown in short rather 

 than in long rotations it is not usually necessary to try 

 and. renew it, when the stand secured is only partial. It 

 is usually considered more profitable to prepare land 

 and sow again. 



ITALTAX KYE GRASS. 



Italian Rye grass (Lolium ItaJicum) is so named 

 doubtless from the fact that it has long been grown in 

 Xorthern Italy, from which it has been distrilmted 

 into various countries. It is also sometimes called Ray 

 grass. It does not seem to have been introduced into 

 Western Europe until a period considerably later than 

 the introduction of perennial rye grass. 



Italian rye grass grows to the height of 2 to 3 feet. 

 The leaves are abundant. The heads are slender, from 

 6 to 12 inches long and sometimes nodding. The fib- 

 rous roots have much power to gather food from the 

 land on Avhich it grows. The leaves are of a dark green 

 and have a peculiar "glint" which makes a field of this 

 grass look very beautiful when swayed by the wind. 



