32 



Yellow Oat Grass. — This is a somewhat smaller and 

 shorter species than the tall oat grass. It flowers at about 

 the same season, and it is the belief of the writer that it is 

 worth inclusion in mixtures nnide up chiefly of orchard grass. 

 Unfortunately, as in the case of a number of the other less- 

 known grasses, the seed often germinates poorly, and is held 

 at a relatively high price. 



Italian Eye Grass and PeroDiial Rye Grass.- — These 

 species of grass are said to be of the highest importance in 

 Great Britain, and early writers upon the grass crop in 

 America, copying to some extent from English books, fre- 

 quently urged their cultivation. They seem to he less well 

 suited to the drier climate of this country, with its more 

 severe winters, than to Great Britain, and they are less 

 hardy than most of our grasses. It is sometimes asserted 

 that the perennial rye grass is much more hardy than the 

 Italian; but, according to the writer's observation, there 

 seems to be no great difference between the two species in 

 respect to their ability to endure our winters. The seed of 

 both varieties is relatively large. These species, therefore, 

 make a quick start, and are capable of soon covering and 

 occupying the ground. They are relatively early in coming 

 into flower, and, while they are not sufficiently hardy to 

 make it wise to depend upon them largely, it is the belief 

 of the writer that a moderate amount of the seed of these 

 grasses may wisely he included in mixtures composed chiefly 

 of orchard grass, because of the contribution they will make, 

 with a fairly favorable winter, to the product of the flrst one 

 or two years, during which period they will help fill in be- 

 tween the larger and coarser orchard grass and other early 

 species. If but one variety is to be tried for this purpose, 

 the writer's preference would be for the Italian rye grass. 



Aionless Brome Grass. — This species belongs to the 

 same genus with some of the annual grasses which are re- 

 garded as troublesome weeds in some sections and which are 

 known hy the names of chess, cheat, etc. It has very vig- 

 orous underground stems, and it is sometimes suggested that 

 it mav ho difficult to get rid of it when the land is plowed. 



