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acid than most other species. Under ordinary conditions it is persistent. 

 It will endure grazing much better than timothy. It starts slowly after 

 having been cut, and usually produces ver}^ little rowen. 



Rhode Islmid Bent and While Betit. — These species are very closely 

 allied to I'cdtoj), and have the same general habit of growth. Indeed, it 

 may be doubted whether there is a well-defined dividing line, based 

 upon distinctions of practical impoi'tance, between these three sj^ecies. 

 There are doubtless differences which are sufficiently clear to the 

 botanist; but it is at any rate true that the product from commercial 

 samples of seed grown in plots side by side is so nearly alike in the 

 case of these three species that so great an authority as Professor 

 Lamson-Scribner, formerly agrostologist of the Department of Agricul- 

 ture in Washington, has frankly admitted to the writer that he could 

 distinguish no well-defined difference between them. It would seem, 

 therefore, that, as the seed of redtop is more generally kept and better 

 known, it must be unwise to jjurchase seeds of these other species which 

 are less certain to be o^ good quality, and which are as a rule sold at 

 higher prices. 



Orchard Grass. — This is one of the best known among the less 

 common grasses. It is a large, coarse species, and is one of the earliest 

 to come into bloom. It has the very bad habit of growing in tufts, and 

 is characterized by the production of a very heavy growth of foliage 

 starting from the ground, and a relatively light production of stalk and 

 seed. It is called orchard grass, not because it will grow better in the 

 shade than when fully exposed to the sunshine, but because it will do 

 better in the shade than most other grasses. If it can be established in 

 light soils it will do better there than either the timothy or the redtop, 

 and it is very persistent. In the writer's experience it has not seemed 

 to yield to the pressure from any other competing species. It is often 

 asserted that orchard grass is tough, woody or wiry ; and, as this grass 

 is frequently handled, this is undoubtedly true. This seems, however, 

 to be due to the fact that it is not cut sufliciently early. It should not 

 stand later than the period of very early bloom, and this stage is some- 

 times reached in this latitude as early as the 5th to the 10th of June. 

 Few farmers are ready to begin haying at this time. Orchard grass 

 deteriorates after blooming more rapidly than most species, and, as a 

 consequence, orchard grass hay, often cut as late as the last of June, is 

 of poor quality. Orchard grass starts quickly after being cut, but 

 seldom comes into flower a second time during one season Orchard 

 grass rowen consists almost exclusively of very long, rather coarse 

 leaves, springing from the ground ; and, like the first crop, the rowen 

 crop is not infrequently allowed to stand until these leaves have become 

 in considerable measure brown or rusted, when it is somewhat inferior 

 in quality. 



Kentucky Blue-grass. — This species, known in some sections of the 

 State as June grass, bears a general resemblance to redtop, although 

 close inspection shows the two species to be in many respects quite 

 different. Kentucky blue-grass produces a much larger pi'oportion of 

 leaves starting directly from the root than does redtop, and at the same 

 time produces relatively far less stem and flower. It is also much 

 earlier. Kentucky blue-grass has abundant underground stems, and in 

 time forms a very close, velvety tui"f. It is one of the most valuable 

 of pasture grasses, but is not a variety of the first importance for 

 mowings, as there is little top. Kentucky blue-grass, further, has the 

 verj- bad habit of producing relatively little second growth. In mow- 

 ings it may be regarded as useful in filling in between larger and 

 coarser species ; but a mowing consisting largelj'' of Kentucky blue- 

 grass, while giving hay of excellent quality, is not likely to produce 

 such quantity as to prove satisfactory to the best farmers. This species 

 is best adapted to the strong, retentive soils, and reaches its highest 

 development in the limestone regions of Kentucky and Ohio. On the 



