50 SECOND THOUSAND QUESTIONS IN AGRICULTURE 



There is no book on reseeding wild pasture lands in California. 

 The growth on these pastures is chiefly annuals, because extreme 

 summer drouth prevents the growth of perennials such as are grown 

 in the East and in moister parts of the Coast. The chief ways of 

 improving California dry-land pastures are to guard against overstock- 

 ing; to keep the stock off when the land is too wet, and to give the 

 native plants a chance to seed toward spring turning in the stock 

 again later for dry feeding which does not interfere with the natural 

 reseeding of the land. Of course, sowing seed of winter-growing 

 annuals like bur clover, alfilerilla and wild oats will help the natural 

 process of multiplying the same plants, which are among the best we 

 have for winter growth and self-seeding, but for sod-grasses, such as 

 they have in rainy-summer regions, you cannot get them on dry lands 

 without water. 



"Million-Dollar" Grass. 



Where can I get some of that New Zealand grass that they call the 

 "million-dollar grass"? 



The so-called million-dollar grass was a disappointment. It is 

 Paspalum dilatatum, which makes wonderful growth in hot, interior 

 situations with plenty of water, but it will not grow at all during the 

 winter and will not grow during the summer on dry land. 



Grasses for Coast Uplands. 



What amount of seed of Italian rye grass should be sown per acre 

 on rather sandy soil? Also give a list of any other grasses you think might 

 do well in Marin county, especially clovers. 



Italian rye grass is usually sown about fifty pounds per acre and 

 should be started as early as possible in the fall for it is not injured 

 by frost, and the catch will depend much upon growth early in the 

 rainy season. No introduced clover will compare for winter growth 

 with the common bur clover. On the moist lands of Humboldt 

 county, white clover and alsike clover live through the summer, but 

 that would not be possible on sandy soil without irrigation. You may 

 improve your winter pasturage by using Italian rye grass, English 

 rye grass, orchard grass, red top and tall oat grass. They will all 

 try to live through the dry season by bunching and are all pretty free 

 seeders unless too constantly fed off through the spring. The mesquite 

 (Holcus lanatus) is a coarse grass but has sometimes been described by 

 dairymen in your district as the best of introduced grasses which they 

 have tried. 



Grasses for Mountain Pasture. 



I wish to sow grasses, principally for pasture on land fully four 

 thousand feet high. Which kind of grass zvould be likely to meet my 

 requirement and about how many pounds to the acre? 



You should sow a mixture and let the best take the land: 

 orchard grass, red top, perennial rye grass, timothy and awnless 



