OTHER IMPORTANT FORAGE GRASSES 8l 



grass has not been grown much where timothy is at its 

 best, but finds favor along the southern border of the 

 timothy region where the summers are long and dry. 

 It withstands drouth rather better than does timothy and 

 hence can be used somewhat west of the region where 

 timothy thrives. When sown alone, 20 to 25 pounds of 

 good seed per acre should be used. By mixing orchard 

 grass with some other grass, such as meadow fescue, a 

 smoother surface is produced than by using the former 

 alone. 



Orchard grass was brought into cultivation about the 

 middle of the eighteenth century. It is one of the im- 

 portant meadow grasses of Europe. Beal states that it 

 did not attract much attention in England until sent 

 back there from Virginia in 1764. 



The seed of orchard grass of American origin is mostly 

 grown in the vicinity of Louisville, Kentucky. Much 

 seed is imported from New Zealand. 



Description. An erect perennial, 2 to 4 feet, growing 

 in tussocks, without rootstocks; sheaths flattened and 

 somewhat keeled, smooth or roughened, closed part way 

 or nearly all the way, the ligule prominent, thin and 

 papery, the uppermost about one-third of an inch long; 

 blades flat, about one-third of an inch wide, rough on 

 both surfaces, tapering into a slender point; panicle 3 to 

 6 inches long, the few branches spreading at flowering 

 time, afterwards closed, singly disposed, naked below, 

 bearing towards the ends a few one-sided clusters of 

 spikelets, the clusters about 1/2 inch wide. 



Details of the Spikelet. Spikelet 3 or 4-flowered, 

 compressed, about one-third inch long; first glume 



