336 GRAS3E3 OF IOWA. 



five years. Its produce is always much greater when combined 

 with other grasses than when cultivated by itself. With a 

 proper adooixture it will nearly double its produce, so much it 

 delights in shelter. " Stebler and Schriiter* give the early his- 

 tory as follows: "It was cultivated in England some centuries 

 ago. In 1681 Worlidge recommended it. Recalled it 'Orchiston- 

 grass' because of its abundance in tbe celebrated grasslands 

 of Orchiston, near Salisbury in Wiltshire. About the year 

 1785 Boys cultivated it in the county of Kent. " At the present 

 time it is in high esteem and in common cultivation, both in 

 Britain- and on the continent; in mountainous districts it always 

 forms the staple of the natural grass. 



This grass is perfestly hardy in the southern part of this 

 state. It produces a large amount of nutritious and va'uable 

 forage. It has not, however, been Iried sufficiently in central 

 and northern Iowa to give it a general recommendation. Where- 

 ever this grass has been tried in the south, as in the Gulf states, 

 it has been highly commended by Tracy and others. Lamson- 

 Scribner says owing to the wooliness of the seeds they are 

 difficult to sow, and as they are expensive this grass has not 

 been propagated as extensively as it would have been. 



Of the oher American meadow grasses, more attention has 

 bee a given to the Texas bluegrass {Poa arachnifera, Torr.) Its 

 cultivation was first introduced by Geo. H. Hogant of Texas, 

 who recommended it very highly as a winter forage plant. Its 

 cultivation at the Iowa experiment station began in 1888. It 

 has also been cultivated at the Kansas§, Tennessee!, and 

 Mississippi*! agricultural experiment stations. According to 

 Lamson-Scribner it remains green throughout the year, mak- 

 ing its chief growth during the winter months. 



Professor Shelton, formerly of Kansas, states that it is a 

 much more useful grass than blue grass for Kansas "and not 

 unlikely one of our best grasses. " Tracy says its real value 

 for cultivation is still problematic. It endures the longest 

 drouth without injury. Professor Mell** says: "It is now well 

 known in most sections of the south and is becoming more and 



•The Best Forage PI. 79. 



+1. c. 61. 



tVasey. The Agrl. Grasses and Forage Plants of the U. S. Special Bull. Dept- 

 Agrl. 1889:64. 



§Shelton. Bull. Kansas Agrl. Exp i^ta. 2:22. 



IILamson-Scrlbner. Grasses of Tennessee. Tenn. Agrl. Exp. Sta. 7; 110. 

 ' i. M. Tracy. Forage Plants. Rep Miss. Agrl. Exp. S:a. 1892:20. 

 ♦♦Bull. Alabama Agrl. Exp. Sta. 100:319. 



