234 FORAGE PLANTS AND THEIR CULTURE 



Both the hay and the pasturage are of mediocre quality, 

 but the fields last many years on suitable calcareous soils. 

 The yield is best the second year and the plants bloom 

 but once each season. It is rarely sown alone, but usually 

 mixed with sainfoin if the land is good enough. 



The seed weighs about 15 pounds to the bushel, and 

 50 pounds to the acre is sown. It is often adulterated 

 with the screenings of tall oat-grass. 



Erect brome has been but little tried in America. At 

 the Kansas Experiment Station yields of 1844 and 1720 

 pounds per acre were obtained in 1904 and 1905 respec- 

 tively. At the Michigan Upper Peninsula Substation a 

 small plot yielded at the rate of 3706 pounds an acre. 



YELLOW OAT-GRASS (Trisetum flavesccns) 



276. Yellow oat-grass, also known as golden oat-grass, 

 is native over much of temperate Europe and Asia and in 

 North Africa, and several botanical varieties are described. 

 It is of only secondary importance in European agriculture, 

 but is practically unknown in America. It is a loosely 

 tufted, long-lived perennial. It is used almost wholly as 

 an admixture with other grasses. It was apparently first 

 brought into cultivation in England before 1785. The 

 seed, which is mainly grown in the south of France and in 

 Tyrol, is scarce and expensive, and this has probably pre- 

 vented the greater use of the grass. 



Yellow oat-grass is decidedly drought resistant and 

 adapted only to well-drained soil. It is said to prefer cal- 

 careous soils rich in humus. It is seldom grown in pure 

 cultures except for purposes of seed-production. Vianne re- 

 cords a yield of 5020 pounds hay an acre in France, and Sin- 

 clair in England records that he obtained 2859 pounds hay 

 cut in bloom, and 4900 pounds cut when the seed was ripe. 



