CHAPTER IX 



ORCHARD-GRASS, TALL OAT-GRASS AND 

 BROME-GRASSES 



TIMOTHY is to such preponderating extent the most im- 

 portant hay grass in America that other valuable sorts 

 have been relatively much neglected. The species dis- 

 cussed here have somewhat different adaptations than 

 timothy, and hence are potentially important in regions 

 where timothy does not thrive well. Orchard-grass and 

 tall oat-grass are well adapted to a broad belt south of the 

 area in which' timothy succeeds best. Brome-grass is es- 

 pecially valuable in temperate regions of small rainfall. 



ORCHARD-GRASS 



174. Description. Orchard-grass, in England com- 

 monly called cock's-foot or rough cock's-foot, is a long- 

 lived, perennial grass forming dense circular tufts which 

 may become a foot or more in diameter. It is a typical 

 bunch grass, producing no stolons, and hence never forms 

 a complete sod. The peculiar inflorescence is characteris- 

 tic and cannot be mistaken for any other cultivated grass. 



175. Botany. Orchard-grass (Dactylis glomerata) is 

 native throughout Europe excepting the northernmost 

 portions, much of the northern half of Asia, and in Africa 

 in the mountains of Algeria and in Madeira and the 

 Canaries. Botanists have distinguished a x considerable 

 number of varieties. Among the more noteworthy are 

 hispanica, which has the branches of the panicle not 



176 



