248 MEADOWS AND PASTURES 



prehensive account of the care of meadows and pastures, 

 most of which are not today of alfalfa. 



Meadow foxtail (Alopecurus pratensis L.) This 

 grass is closely related to timothy, for which it may be 

 mistaken, although it blooms fully a month earlier, its 

 stems are not so tall, its heads are shorter and more 

 ovoid. According to Hunt, meadow foxtail makes a 

 good sod in its proper habitat. Stems are few, i' to 3' 

 high, and sparingly furnished with leaves. The leaves 

 are broad, long, thin, and grow rapidly when cut or eaten 

 by live stock. Seed is sparingly produced and therefore 

 expensive. It is generally of poor vitality and hence a 

 good stand is seldom obtained, at least in America. The 

 number of seeds per pound is 1,216,000. All commercial 

 seed is imported. 



Lamson says : "It grows naturally on rather superior 

 soils of medium texture, and constitutes the greater por- 

 tion of many of the richer, natural pastures of Britain. 

 It requires two or three years after sowing to arrive at 

 full maturity and, therefore, it is not suitable for alter- 

 nate husbandry." Hackel states that it is especially 

 adapted to wet meadows. Meadow foxtail is distinctly 

 a pasture grass, being one of the earliest grasses to start 

 in the spring. On rich soils it may be tried in mixtures 

 for permanent pastures at the rate of I pound of seed to 

 the acre. 



Blue Joint (Calamagrostis Canadensis). Once much 

 of the open land of eastern America was more or less 

 covered with this fine, tall, nutritious grass. It made 

 the typical grass of the moister regions of eastern 

 America extending well up into Canada. It made a 



