212 THE SOILS AND CROPS OF THE FARM. 



propagated by cutting up the rooting stems in a feed 

 cutter and sowing broadcast and plowing in, or plant- 

 ing in rows or hills like potatoes. It stands the hot- 

 test weather and the severest drought and makes its 

 best growth during the summer months. The tops 

 are easily killed by frost. 



Fescues. — There are many species of the genus 

 Festuca. Taller fescue, {Festuca elatior, L.,) and 

 meadow fescue ( Festuca pratensis Huds, ) are for 

 practical purposes very similar. The former grows 

 somewhat taller and coarser. 



The manner of growth is very much like Kentucky 

 blue grass. They produce a compact sod. They 

 start to grow early in the spring and ripen their 

 seeds in June. Their seed culms, however, are con- 

 siderably taller and look more like chess than Ken- 

 tucky blue grass. They yield a rather larger quan- 

 tity of hay. The hay is of good quality. They de- 

 serve a trial wherever timothy and Kentucky blue 

 grass are not well adapted. 



Sheep fescue {Festuca ovina, L.,) is a small, low 

 growing plant which makes a compact sod and is very 

 much prized in Great Britian for pasturing sheep, 

 especially on the poorer soils. Vasey says it and sev- 

 eral other species of festuca form a part of the vege- 

 tation on the ranges. 



Rye Grasses. — The perennial rye grass ( Lolium 

 perenne) and the Italian ryegrass {Lolium ItaUcum) 

 are much used in England both for hay and pasturage, 

 the former being the oldest and best known and the 

 most highly esteemed. Lolium perenne was the first 

 grass gathered separately for agricultural purposes. 



In this country, while they have been repeatedly 



