AGRICULTURE. 



' 



ORCHARD GRASS. t (< 

 Orchard grass is one of the oldest and 

 most valuable of the many pasture and 

 hay varieties. It is ready to cut about 

 three weeks earlier than timothy and sup- 

 plies pasture throughout the fall and win- 

 ter months. When sown alone this grass 

 produces two to four tons of fine hay, and 

 will yield one third more if mixed with red 

 clover. It grows to perfection in every 

 section of our country and is little injured 

 by drouth or cold weather. All farm ani- 

 mals eat it with a relish,, both .in the pas- 

 ture and hay stock. For the general stock 

 farm, dairy or special agriculture it is an 

 ideal and profitable plant. 



The grass is especially beneficial to the 

 special farmer because it is adapted to 

 every soil characteristic. It does well on 

 moist and shady lands and in porous sub- 

 soils, as the roots penetrate to a great 

 depth. The drouth resisting qualities 

 make it desirable for sowing on uplands 

 where other pastures will burn out during 

 the hot summer months. Like all others 

 this grass consumes much plant food and 

 the &oil should be enriched by applications 

 of potash and phosphoric acid. Nitrogen 

 can be replenished by pasturing but the 

 other foods must come from judicious fer- 

 tilizing. Orchard grass, like all other 

 crops, requires plant food for a full growth 

 A good mixture for orchard grass would 

 be 400 pounds of ground bone and 150 

 pounds muriate of potash per acre, thor- 

 oughly mixed with the soil before seeding 

 time. 



Orchard grass is sometimes sold as 

 rough cocksfoot and is known among the 

 botanical students as dactylis glomerata. 

 It weighs 14 pounds to the bushel and re- 

 quires from three to four bushels of seed 

 to the acre. If mixed with redtop it 

 makes a good bottom land hay and pasture 



and when some alsike or red clover is ad- 

 ded to the mixture, it will do well for up- 

 land planting. The seed should be sown 

 in early fall so as to get a start before 

 winter or else put in the first thing in the 

 spring. In the south this grass will start 

 up in February, give a good hay erop in 

 April and in case of dry weather die down 

 in July and August, then come out again 

 in the fall and give green feed all winter. 

 If pastured very short it will come out 

 again in a few days and furnish fine pas- 

 ture, 



The land should be well prepared for 

 sowing to orchard grass, by close plowing 

 and harrowing in order to make it level 

 and well pulverized. Broadcasting i& 

 probably the better way to sow, as the 

 seed is small and filled with more or less 

 chaff. It is often mixed with perennial 

 rye and other similar seeds and should 

 therefore be purchased of none but the 

 best seedsmen. They who make a busi- 

 ness of supplying choice seeds have their 

 names and reputation at stake and will 

 seldom intentionally injure their business 

 by palming off some old and mixed seed. 

 It is a safe plan to deal with the best men 

 and pay the highest prices for choice seed 

 to prevent any waste of time and money 

 on that which will be of no value. 



The grass makes the best hay if cut 

 early in the flowering period, as the longer 

 it stands after this the tougher and more 

 woody the stalks become. If permitted 

 to ripen the stems are wiry and not so 

 nutritious as when in blossom. The 

 blades are flat and juicy and of a rich dark 

 green color, which is maintained after 

 harvesting, if cut at the right time. Mix- 

 ing with timothy or late grasses spoils the 

 good feed of orchard grass as it ripens be- 

 fore those are ready for cutting. The 

 grass has a tendency to grow in tufts and 



