The Grasses 281 



could become as great a pasture country as the blue grass 

 region of Kentucky, for in summer it is far better pasturage 

 than blue grass anywhere. It has been found of great 

 value in Oklahoma and the experiment station there 

 advises its use as a pasture grass. But this is probably as 

 far north as it will have any value as compared with other 

 grasses. But no part of the whole country has a finer 

 pasture grass than the South has in Bermuda. 



The botanical genus Poa includes a num- 

 The Blue ^^^ ^^ species that are known as blue grasses. 



The best known of these is the Kentucky 

 blue grass (Poa pratensis). This is essentially a grass for 

 Umestone soils, and thrives on these soils as it does on no 

 other, though with an occasional appHcation of lime it 

 can be kept in good condition on any good clay soil'. 

 It has acquired its common name from the way it has 

 taken possession of the rich Umestone soils of central 

 Kentucky, and while it thrives on similar soils in various 

 other states, its great home is in Kentucky and part of 

 Tennessee, and to the fine pasturage it gives there is 

 largely due the fame that Kentucky has acquired m the 

 raising of fine horses. Its fine hairhke roots penetrate 

 deeply into the soil, and enable this grass to recover after 

 it has been browned by a long drought, and though appar- 

 ently brown and dead, it at once starts into growth with 

 the coming of rain. 



Kentucky blue grass is the best grass for lawns from the 

 close and ever-green sod it makes, and it is the favorite 

 grass for this purpose in all parts of the country where 

 there is a good clay soil. It will not thrive on the sandy 

 soils of the South, and in fact there needs some shade from 



