QUACK GRASS. 241 



Pasturing. As quack grass grows up with much 

 vigor in the early spring and as it becomes somewhat 

 woody after the seed stems begin to push up, it ought 

 to be kept grazed with reasonable closeness. If the 

 seed stems are not kept from forming, much of the grass 

 will be left uneaten unless the stock that graze upon it 

 are compelled to eat it in order to satisfy their needs. 

 The capacity of this grass to furnish grazing does not 

 seem to have been tested in an experimental way, but 

 there is no doubt that it is relatively high. Close graz- 

 ing in the autumn would also seem justifiable because 

 of the extreme hardihood of the grass. The nutrition in 

 the pasture is higher than that of timothy. If grazed 

 when succulent it has been pronounced excellent for 

 milk production. The pastures may be greatly improved 

 on some soils by harrowing early with a heavy harrow, 

 while the ground is soft. In other instances it would 

 be necessary to use a disk harrow. Nitrogenous ferti- 

 lizers judiciously applied will also greatly stimulate the 

 growth of the pastures. 



Harvesting for Hay. Authorities are agreed as to 

 the good quality of the hay made by quack grass, pro- 

 viding it is cut not later than the blossoming stage. It 

 is thought to be as valuable as timothy for feeding on 

 the farm, but it is not so marketable as the latter. It 

 would seem correct to say that it should not be sown 

 for the express purpose of providing hay, but may of 

 course be legitimately used for hay where it has already 

 possessed the soil. When so used it ought to be cut be- 

 fore any of the seeds mature, otherwise these may be 

 the means of starting the grass in fields where it is not 

 Grasses 16. 



