326 GRASSES OF IOWA. 



this grass has become spontaneous at several points in this 

 state, it is not cultivated to any extent as a meadow grass. 

 Meadow fescue makes a fine turf, but in this state has a tend- 

 ency to become thin. It is less able to resist drouth than tim- 

 othy, bluegrass or orchard grass. Its cultivation in this country 



Fig 151. Meadow Fescue. Festuca elatior var. pratensis. A. Kood grass In some 

 parts of the United States, but not In Iowa. (Div. of Agrost. U. S Dept. of Agrl.) 



is confined chiefly to the east rn states, where it is held in high 

 esteem. Several other species of Festuca occur in the state, 

 but only one of these is valuible as a forage grass, the Festuca 

 shortiif Kunth, which is common in native prairie meadows. The 

 Festuca nwtans, Willd, is an early maturing woodland species, and 

 of very little value as a forage plant. Sheep's fescue {F. ovina, 

 L.), is sometimes cultivated, and for dry, sterile soils, is a val- 

 uable grass. It is one of the common bunch grasses of the 



