2 A MANUAL OF FARM GRASSES 



the country. The reader who wishes to try new or un- 

 familiar kinds of grass should study the chapter on crop 

 areas and then read what is said about this grass under 

 the chapter or paragraph devoted to it. All kinds of 

 grasses known to have any value anywhere in the United 

 States, are here described and also several kinds that are 

 practically valueless anywhere, but which have been re- 

 ferred to in agricultural works or have been offered for 

 sale by seedsmen. 



Sometimes an old grass is advertised under a new name 

 and thus exploited. Many are familiar with the frequent 

 thrusting into notoriety of new kinds of wheat such as 

 mummy wheat, Alaska wheat, and Egyptian wheat, 

 with marvelous tales of high yield, but which upon ex- 

 amination by experts prove to be old varieties which have 

 no especially good qualities to recommend them. Billion 

 dollar grass was exploited at one time in this way. It is 

 well to be on guard against deception or honest but 

 unwarranted enthusiasm. 



The U. S. Department of Agriculture and the State 

 Experiment Stations have sought out grasses from all 

 over the world and carefully tested them, and the possi- 

 bilities of all kinds are pretty well known. The prob- 

 ability of some new kind coming suddenly into use is very 

 slight. Hence, exploitation of a supposedly new kind of 

 grass by interested persons should be looked upon with 

 suspicion and the claims made for it subjected to the 

 keenest scrutiny. 



The farmer should endeavor to grow the grass best 

 suited to his conditions. Even on the same farm the 

 conditions may vary so much that one kind of grass may 



