ORCHARD-GRASS, OAT-GRASS, BROME-GRASSES 191 



poor land. Nevertheless its yields are greatly increased 

 by the use of fertilizers. 



It does not grow well in shade, but rapidly disappears. 

 For this reason, it should never be sown with a nurse crop, 

 as both the thickness and the vigor of the stand is much 

 lessened thereby. For the same reason it is injured in 

 mixtures by any grass which shades the ground too much. 



Tall oat-grass is primarily a hay grass. Frequent 

 cuttings reduce the total yield greatly, and under pasturing 

 the return is comparatively small. 



In the Southern States tall oat-grass remains green the 

 whole year, whence it has been called evergreen grass. 

 It languishes, however, in midsummer in the moist region 

 near the Gulf of Mexico. 



202. Importance. Tall oat-grass is not an important 

 grass in America. In continental Europe it is considered 

 one of the best grasses and is commonly grown, especially 

 in France. In England it has never been much used. 

 To some extent the grass is cultivated in Australia. In 

 the United States it is mostly employed on poor or gravelly 

 land and near the southern limit of timothy production. 

 In experiments continued over several years at Arlington 

 Farm, Virginia, a mixture of this grass with orchard-grass 

 and alsike clover was found to be far- more productive on 

 relatively poor land than any other perennial grass or 

 grass mixture. This mixture has recently been received 

 with much favor in South Carolina, and for much of the 

 area south of the timothy region is probably the best 

 combination of perennial grasses for hay meadows. For 

 this reason the grass seems destined to increase in im- 

 portance. 



203. Characteristics. Tall oat-grass is a long-lived, 

 deep-rooted perennial. It is strictly a bunch grass, all 



