228 FORAGE PLANTS AND THEIR CULTURE 



266. Adaptations. Meadow foxtail is adapted primarily 

 to moist cool regions. Its culture is prominent in northern 

 Europe, but elsewhere it is but little grown. It has no 

 particular soil preference so long as the water supply is 

 abundant. This peculiarity makes it well suited to grow- 

 ing under irrigation, but it will not withstand drought. 

 Though primarily adapted to open meadows it endures 

 shade fairly well. Better than any other grass, it with- 

 stands cold weather in early spring after its growth has 

 begun, and it is perhaps the most winter hardy of any 

 cultivated perennial grass. 



267. Culture. Meadow foxtail is but very little* 

 grown in North America, most of the data concerning it 

 being those obtained at experiment stations. 



In northern Europe it is a favorite hay grass, especially 

 for wet meadows. European authorities recommend the 

 sowing at the rate of 22 pounds an acre. It is seldom 

 sown alone, however, but usually in mixtures with such 

 grasses as meadow fescue, timothy and orchard-grass. 

 In recent years its improvement by breeding has been 

 undertaken at Svalof, Sweden. 



Sinclair in England reports a yield of 8844 pounds an 

 acre; Vianne in France,. 8932 pounds. 



Few yields have been reported by American experiment 

 stations. At the Michigan (Upper Peninsula) Station it 

 gave a yield of 2906 pounds of hay to the acre ; at the 

 Utah Experiment Station, 1500 pounds ; and the 7-year 

 average at Guelph, Ontario, was 3100 pounds an acre. 



268. Seed. Seed of meadow foxtail is grown in Finland, 

 Sweden, Denmark and Holland, but most of the com- 

 mercial supply is from the first-named country. A small 

 amount is also exported from New Zealand. The average 

 yield in Europe is said to be about 170 pounds to the acre. 



