76 MEADOWS AND PASTURES 



sort of laboratory where nature is performing mysteries. 



The- best pastures I know are old pastures. In Eng- 

 land also old pastures are often highly esteemed, yet 

 there is also a custom to lay down grass and clovers for 

 a few years only, feeding them off with sheep or cat- 

 tle. The rye grasses and fescues, indeed a very long 

 list of grasses, are added to a pasture or grazing mix- 

 ture. They do not highly esteem our all but universal 

 Kentucky bluegrass. They complain that it soon takes 

 possession of the land and displaces coarser and larger- 

 yielding grasses. 



Kentucky Bluegrass (Poa pratensis). 



Ever smelt Kentucky grass, 



Or heard about its blueness? 

 Seems as if the whole blamed world 



Was bursting out with newness. 



Skies and folks alike all smiles, 



Gracious ! you are lucky 

 If you spend a day in June 



Down in old Kentucky. 



Alfred Monson. 



Of no grass has more been said than of this. It is 

 almost everywhere found in eastern America from far 

 north in Canada to the Gulf States. In many places it 

 is called "J une grass"; in Maryland "green grass." Beal 

 says it is found in Australia, Asia and Europe. It varies 

 somewhat according to its locality. Its name "blue- 

 grass" seems to me somewhat fanciful for assuredly its 

 sister-grass, Canada bluegrass, is more blue. I think Ken- 

 tucky bluegrass came originally from Europe. The evi- 

 dence to me is found in the fact that it was not one of 



