172 JUNE GRASS. MEADOW FOXTAIL. 



JUNE GRASS (Fig. 57), better known in some sections aa 

 Kentucky Blue grass, is very common in most sections 

 of the country, especially on limestone lands, forming a 

 large part of the turf, wherever it flourishes, and being 

 universally esteemed as a pasture grass. It starts early, 

 but varies much in size and appearance, according to 

 the soil; growing in some places with the utmost luxuri- 

 ance, and forming the predominant grass ; in others, 

 yielding to the other species. If cut at the time of 

 flowering, or a few days after, it makes a good and 

 nutritive hay, though it is surpassed in nutritive quali- 

 ties by several of the other grasses. It starts slowly 

 after being cut, especially if not cut very early. But 

 its herbage is fine and uniform, and admirably adapted 

 to lawns, growing well in almost all soils, though it does 

 not endure very severe droughts. It withstands, how- 

 ever, the frosts of winter better than most other grasses. 



In Kentucky, a section where it attains its high- 

 est perfection and luxuriance, ripening its seed about 

 the 10th of June, and in latitudes south of that, it some- 

 times continues green through the mild winters. It 

 requires three or four years to become well set, after 

 sowing, and it does not attain its highest yield as a pas- 

 ture grass till the sod is even older than that. It is 

 not, therefore, suited to alternate husbandry, where 

 land usually remains in grass but two or three years 

 before being ploughed up. In Kentucky it is sown 

 any time in winter when the snow is on the ground 

 three or four quarts of seed being used to the acre. 

 In spring the seeds germinate, when the sprouts are 

 exceedingly fine and delicate. Stock is not allowed on 

 it the first year. 



The MEADOW FOXTAIL (Fig. 58) is also an excellent pas- 

 ture grass. It somewhat resembles Timothy, but is ear- 

 lier, has a softer spike, and thrives on all soils except the 



