346 DRY LAND FARMING 



of the fanning mill. It yields seed profusely, frequently 

 as much as 300 to 400 pounds per acre. 



Combinations for western rye grass. This grass is 

 frequently sown with brome grass. The combination is 

 particularly good when these grasses are grown for pas- 

 ture. The brome aids in filling in the spaces between the 

 rye grass plants. The plan is good which sows the com- 

 bined crop along with a thin seeding of grain in the early 

 spring, and cutting the same for hay at the heading stage 

 or grazing it. When thus sown about 2 pecks of grain 

 will suffice. About 5 pounds each of these two grasses 

 will prove ample. 



GROWING BROME GRASS 



Brome grass (Bromus inermis) is, next to western 

 rye grass, the highest in its adaptation for areas with but 

 limited rainfall. It should be remembered, however, that 

 the strength and vigor of this grass increase with in- 

 crease in the amount of moisture present. In moist areas 

 and on alluvial lands difficulty is found in removing this 

 grass from the soil when the ground is plowed on which 

 it grew, but no such difficulty exists where moisture is 

 lacking. It would seem quite safe to say that brome 

 stands at the head of all the grasses in providing pasture 

 under hard conditions. Northern areas have relatively 

 higher adaptation for the growth of this grass than those 

 that lie to the southward. 



Soils. This grass grows best on alluvial soils that 

 have much power to hold moisture. It also grows rela- 

 tively well on the brown loam soils of the benches dis- 

 tributed over the Plains region. It will grow reasonably 

 well on high soils, too light for the growth of timothy, 

 but on these the roots do not spread as in rich, moist soils, 

 nor do the plants thicken to the same extent. It has no 

 special adaptation for gumbo lands. 



