158 



FORAGE CROPSGRASSES 



FIG. 105. Smooth brome grass. 

 ductive Farm Crops.) 



(Pro- 



the drier climates. They are 

 frequently found among the self- 

 sown grasses of the prairie re- 

 gions. 



Smooth brome grass (Bromus 

 inermis] should not be confused 

 with the spiney or rough forms. 

 This plant (Fig. 105) is used in the 

 colder climates of the middle west 

 where the rainfall is not enough 

 for timothy. The plant makes a 

 tall growth, producing one or two 

 cuttings of good hay in a season. 

 The abundance of underground 

 rootstalks causes the plant to 

 form a tough sod well suited for 

 pastures. It is more permanent in 

 the soil than most other "tame" 

 grasses. When it is used in moist 

 climates some criticism arises 

 from the fact that it is not all 

 entirely killed by plowing. A 

 little extra attention will over- 

 come this difficulty. 



Bermuda glass is widely grown 

 throughout the South. It is better 

 suited to use in pastures than in 

 hay fields. Except in the Gulf 

 states the growth is usually not 

 tall enough for hay. The stems 

 are often trailing and take root 

 at the nodes, causing a dense 

 mat over the surface. Because of 

 this method of spreading, the 

 plants are not easily killed by 

 ordinary plowing and may persist 

 in cultivated crops, such as cotton 

 and corn. In farm pastures, where 

 it is cropped close, the yield is 

 comparable with that of blue-grass 

 but is usually not so palatable. 



