ARID AGRICULTURE. 255 



The young plants are good feed for stock, but as 

 soon as the heads are formed, it becomes danger- 

 ous on account of the beards. It spreads in 

 many native meadows or in alfalfa fields, and 

 mixed with the hay, it does great damage to 

 stock which eat it. 



A general condition which favors fox tail is 

 over-irrigation, especially in alfalfa or native 

 meadows. It is an annual grass, ordinarily liv- 

 ing only one year, where it is unmolested, and 

 forms its regular crop of seeds and beards. 

 When it is cut, however, it undoubtedly lives 

 more than one year. This fact and its habit of 

 forming heads right at or close to the ground 

 when the tops are cut off, or when there is drouth 

 or poor soil (a habit of the barleys) makes fox 

 tail difficult to exterminate. It may be killed 

 out of alfalfa by proper cultivation and discing 

 as we recommend. Plow up meadows and plant 

 some other crop that will take the place of fox 

 tail. We have cleared badly infested fox tail 

 land by planting sweet clover or dwarf rape for 

 one or two seasons. 



CRAB GRASS Crab grass, or barnyard millet, or wild Jap- 



anese millet, is a persistent weed in cultivated 

 fields and along ditches. It seems to grow either 

 under great drouth conditions or under water, 

 as the case may be. Like most other weeds be- 

 longing to the grass tribe, it must be hoed or cul- 

 tivated out. 



