88 THE FORAGE AND FIBER CROPS IN AMERICA 



Switzerland, where orchard grass forms a considerable part of 

 the hay, there is a saying that the time to make hay is when the 

 cocksfoot is in flower. At the Illinois Station there was an 

 increase of 22 per cent, in the weight of water-free substance 

 from full bloom until seed were in the milk, which was a period 

 of eight days. During this period the percentage of ash and 

 nitrogen-free extract increased; the other nutrients decreased.' 

 In favorable seasons two crops of hay may be harvested, one 

 in June and the other in August. 



89. Harvesting Seed. American grown seed is chiefly pro- 

 duced in Indiana and Kentucky, near Louisville. Orchard grass 

 is ready to cut for seed when the heads become straw-colored 

 and a slight pressure causes the seed to shatter. In Kentucky 

 this is usually about June 20. Care must be exercised to cut 

 promptly; otherwise seed will shatter badly. For harvesting, 

 the self-binder is used, making rather smaller bundles than for 

 wheat. Three or four bundles are set up together and the 

 tops tied together with two bands about 6 inches apart. The 

 bands are made from straws drawn from the bundles. In 15 

 to 20 days after it is cut, it may be threshed with a grain 

 thresher provided with screens made specially for orchard 

 grass seed. 



II. MEADOW FESCUE 



90. Relationships. The name English blue grass sometimes 

 given to this grass (Festuca clatior L. var. pratensis Gray) is 

 unfortunate because the name is applied to wire grass or 

 Canada blue grass (Poa compressa L.). Closely related to 

 meadow fescue is tall meadow fescue or tall fescue (F. elatior 

 L.). Lawson states that this species may be easily distinguished 

 from the former by being much larger (nearly double) in all 

 its parts, which observations at the Cornell Station seem to 

 confirm. Other American observers report it from 2 to 6 



i Illinois Sta. Bui. No. 5 (1889), p. 147. 



