THE RYEGRASSES 



143 



but the leafage is not eaten with so much 

 gusto as is that of Kentucky bluegrass or 

 Hungarian bromegrass. When cut early the 

 plant makes good hay. 



Next to Kentucky bluegrass, orchardgrass is 

 one of the earliest to start growth in the 

 spring. Growing, as it does, in tufts, it does 

 not withstand so heavy grazing as sodgrasses; 

 nevertheless, a good stand is remarkably per- 

 sistent. Severe cutting tests conducted by 

 the author in the mountains of central Utah 

 have brought out the fact that well-estab- 

 lished tufts withstand closer cropping than do 

 many native tufted species. Good orchard- 

 grass meadows have been reported to yield 

 heavy crops for as long as 15 years. 



The Ryegrasses. — Two ryegrasses — per- 

 ennial ryegrass {Lolium perenne) and Itahan 

 rye {L. Italicum) — are cultivated more or 

 less in this country. 



Perennial ryegrass is among the first of the 

 Old World species to be cultivated in this 

 country. Its native home is in temperate Asia 

 and southern Europe. Thus far it has not 

 been extensively cultivated in this country, as 

 it is not well adapted to either a very cold or 

 a very hot climate. It is well suited to wet 

 soils but is a short-lived plant (Fig. 44). 



Seed of perennial ryegrass may be scattered 

 in either spring or fall. It is usually sown 

 pure, about 25 pounds of seed to the acre being 

 required. One objection to the use of peren- 

 nial ryegrass is that the seed is very dear. 

 Practically all of the seed used in "this country 

 is grown in Europe. 



Italian ryegrass is a native of southern Fig. 44.— perennial 



T-, ^1 . r • 1 , A . RYEGRASS {Lolium 



Europe, northern Airica, and western Asia, perenne). 



