31S GRASSES OP IOWA. 



and rapid growth ard its resistance to drouth, but all agree 

 that it should be closely cropped. Sheep will pass over 

 every other grass to feed upon it. If suffered to grow long 

 without being cropped, it becomes coarse and hard. " 



Orchard grass, although widely distributed in this state, is 

 grown very little for forage purposes. There are several rea- 

 sons for this. One is that it forms little tussocks which make 



Fig. 149. Otc\va.T(\ grass, Dactylis glomcrata. A most excellent grass, well adapted 

 Iowa conditions. (After F. Lamson-Scribner. Dlv. Agrost. U. S. Dept, of Agrl.) 



it decidedly objectionable for some purposes. It is frequently 

 very uneven. It is unequaled as a palatable grass, and those 

 who have used it in this state speak of it in the highest terms, 

 but the farmers have become so accustomed to growing timo 

 thy that this grass has scarcely been given a fair chance in 

 this state. 



Chemical composition: 



The following analyses of orchard grass were made in the 

 laboratory of this station: 



