94 THE HANDBOOK FOR PRACTICAL FARMERS 



growth, due to the fact that it is shallow rooted. Unlike most 

 of the other tame grasses, its dry herbage is readily eaten by 

 the livestock; and it starts new growth promptly after rains. 



It grows over, a wide 

 range of territory, since 

 it can survive both se- 

 vere winters and hot 

 summers, and grow on 

 a wide variety of soils. 

 It also succeeds well un- 

 der irrigation, but is at 

 its best in the timothy 

 and clover region on the 

 soils derived from lime- 

 stone. 



Though seldom used 

 for that purpose on ac- 

 count of the small yield, 

 blue grass makes an ex- 

 cellent hay, containing 

 fully ten per cent pro- 

 tein. After passing the 

 blossoming stage it rap- 

 idly deteriorates, and if 

 good hay is to be made 

 it must be cut promptl}^ 

 since it soon becomes 

 wiry and unpalatable. 



Seeds and seeding^. — 

 Blue grass does not pro- 

 duce seed abundantly, 

 which is generally ex- 

 pensive. As a conse- 

 quence, in Kentucky, 

 Missouri and Iowa, 

 where most of the seed 

 is raised, while some 

 hand stripping is done, 

 it is largely harvested by machinery that removes the heads, 

 which are then cured and threshed. If heating occurs during 

 the curing process the vitality of the seed is lowered. Indeed, 

 much of the commercial seed has a vitality of only fifty per cent 

 and it may be much lower. Much chaff is usually present in the 



Fig. 25. — Kentucky 



blue grass.- 

 lin J,02. 



-Fanners Bulle- 



