GRAINS AND FORAGE CROPS 51 



brome grass, five pounds of each per acre: and add to this one pound 

 each of red clover, white clover and alfalfa per acre. All the grasses 

 named will hold verdure through some frost and will hang on through 

 much drouth, though they may bunch up to resist it. Timothy would 

 only be included in mixtures for far north and high up; others are good 

 for valley and coast lands which are not too dry. The clovers are 

 worth including; they may do better in a mixture on loose soil than 

 they would alone. All the plants will make good use of even a little 

 irrigation water. 



The Rye Grasses in California. 



You mention Mr. Foster of Marin County as raising sheep on Italian 

 rye grass planted twenty years ago. From reading seed catalogues I 

 have the impression that the Italian rye is an annual. What is the 

 Latin name of this grass? Does it make a sod? I have heard that 

 some species of rye grass will stand a great deal of overflow, actually 

 making growth while Hooded. Is this so? 



Botanically, Italian rye grass (Lolium Italicum) and Perennial 

 rye grass (Lolium perenne) are very near together, and some authori- 

 ties have made the former a variety of the latter species. In cold 

 countries both are rather short-lived, but perenne lasts longer than 

 Italicum, the latter being often killed every year, and that is the 

 reason why you see it put down as an annual in many catalogues. In 

 milder climates, like that of England, perenne lasts notably longer, 

 and hence its common name, English rye grass. In California valleys 

 both species are practically perennial and as the Italian is rather 

 more leafy it is often preferred. "Australian rye grass" is English 

 rye grass, which came to California via Australia. All these grasses 

 are very hardy in California coast and valley regions. They will not 

 live through the summer on dry slopes, but will live with very little 

 natural moisture or irrigation. They will stand submergence and will 

 grow in the water for some time, and they will grow all winter. 

 With moisture, rye grasses make a sod; on drier lands they protect 

 themselves by bunching. 



Sudan Grass. 



What is your opinion of Sudan grass? Is it a good stock feed to 

 raise? Does it have serious objectionable features? 



Sudan grass is an immense grower of coarse forage. It makes 

 a heavy coarse straw if allowed to go to seed, after which it may be 

 cut and another big crop of grass for grazing or hay will grow. Sudan 

 grass is a botanical relative of Johnson grass but it has a different 

 root-life and only lives one season, though it has lived through in 

 strictly frostless places. It is, of course, not a winter grower and 

 cannot be safely sown until things are right for planting corn in the 

 locality. It is not of high feeding value, being compared with Johnson 

 grass in that particular. It will not replace alfalfa where that plant 

 thrives, nor can it take the place of any of our winter-growing forage 

 plants. Its specialty is drouth-resistance during summer growth and 



