264 



TEL IRRIGATION AGE. 



One-sixth of the country should be in 

 some kind of the 800 varieties of grasses 

 grown for feeding stock. Of the numer- 

 ous varieties that possess remarkable value 

 the Tall Meadow Oat is probably one of 

 the very best to plant. 



Thii grass is also known as French Rye, 

 and is found in almost every mixture of 

 meadow seed supplied by the experienced 

 statesmen. It is a magnificent grass, often 

 reaching four feet in height, and coming 

 on earlier than most of the hay grasses. 

 It may be cut three times in a season, and 

 will furnish more good, clean hay than a 

 similar crop of timothy. It is a perennial, 

 and practically an evergreen food in the 

 South, where stock find it green every 

 month of the year. Being deep rooted it 

 withstands drouth fairly well, and is not 

 killed by winter frosts. When cut for hay 

 it cures quickly and packs in the stack 

 well. All kinds of stock relish the green 

 grass and the cured hay. 



The oat grass does well on any soil 

 where similar grasses are sown. Good 

 crops may be taken from light, sandy 

 loam, and also from the clayey soils. It 

 is a good upland grass, has a pretty tuft of 

 roots, and will hold the soil from washing. 

 Like all other grasses it needs the best soil 

 to produce satisfactory results. It should 

 be topdressed with a good fertilizer con- 

 taining at least 8 per cent each of potash 

 and phosphoric acid, if used for meadow 

 exclusively, and when wanted for both 

 pasture and a hay crop nitrogen should be 

 added at the rate of 3 per cent. Such 

 plant f.md should be put on the land in 

 the spring, using from (iOO to 1,000 pounds 

 per acre. Another good mixture would be 

 about 100 to 150 pounds of muriate of 

 potash and from 400 to 500 pounds of 

 ground bone per acre, applied early in the 

 spring before growth starts up, as a top 



dressing. If the g^ass is mixed with 

 some of the legumes it will require only 

 potash and phosphoric acid. 



Oat grass gives better results in the 

 southern states by sowing in early autumn 

 with a mixture of seeds. The proportion 

 is about two parts orchard grass, two parts 

 Tall Meadow Oat, and one part either red 

 or alsike clover. For this mixture about 

 25 pounds should be sown to the acre. If 

 sown alone, the oat grass will require 30 to 

 40 pounds of seed to the acre. Septem- 

 ber and October are good months for gen- 

 e r al sowing, though some prefer to sow 

 about the last of August. The soil should 

 be well prepared, by summer plowing and 

 harrowing, to insure a good seed bed. The 

 seed may be purchased of all dealers at 

 about 15 cents a pound, or $2 a bushel of 

 14 pounds. 



For hay the oat grass should be cut 

 when in blossom and before the seed 

 ripens. It will come on in early spring 

 and if not pastured will be ready for cut- 

 ting at the South in June. After mowing 

 the grass should remain in the swath long 

 enough to cure, and be put in winrows or 

 cocks without rain or dew falling on it. As 

 it stacks closely there should be some salt 

 used on each wagon load. If placed in 

 the barn it will keep fresh and may be fed 

 without any waste. Stacks do better if 

 covered with cloth ,to keep out rains and 

 snowe. In feeding this grass the best re- 

 sults are obtained by mixing with other 

 forage or solid foods. It is exceptionally 

 fine for dairy cows and all confined stock. 

 If more of this grass is sown, we will 

 have more than 4 per cent of an increase 

 in dairy stock during the coming ten years. 

 JOEL SHOEMAKER. 



North Yakirna, Wash. 



