304 FEEDING FARM ANIMALS 



further information with reference to pastures are referred 

 to the book, "Grasses and How to Grow Them," by the 

 author. 



The further discussion of this question will consider: 

 (i) The leading grass plants; (2) the leading clover 

 plants; (3) plants of the Brassica family used in grazing; 



(4) the saccharine and non-saccharine 1 sorghums, and 



(5) cereals grown to provide grazing, more especially 

 winter rye. These will be considered with reference to 

 their feeding value and adaptation for grazing. Some- 

 thing will be added more or less general in character, 

 with reference to the grazing of pastures and their care. 



The leading grasses. The leading pasture grasses 

 are Kentucky blue (Poa pratensis), Russian brome (Bro- 

 mus inermis), Timothy (Phleum pratense), Western rye 

 grass (Agropyrum caninum), Redtop (Agrostis vulgaris} 

 and in the South, Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon). 

 These are probably generally valuable for pasture in the 

 order named. 



Kentucky blue, king among pasture grasses on this 

 continent, is characterized by a reasonably early and late 

 growth, and by a resting period in midsummer. It is 

 probably the finest in its habit of growth and the most 

 generally palatable of all the grasses. Although soils that 

 have sustained forests have usually the highest relative 

 adaptation for growing this grass, it is fast spreading over 

 all the areas embraced in the western prairies. Close graz- 

 ing tends materially to lessen the production. When done 

 in the autumn, it very much tends to retard growth in the 

 spring. 



Even though grazing should be deferred until the 

 autumn, it still furnishes pasture that is much relished, 

 owing to the abundance of the fine leaf growth amid 

 the relatively light production of matured stems. Such a 

 pasture, held in reserve for autumn grazing, will tend to 

 prolong materially its season, and to curtail proportionately 

 the season for winter feeding. At least two or three 



