I 



GRASSES OF MINOR IMPORTANCE 183 



in warmer climates and on drier soils than timothy, 

 it is fairly easy to secure a stand, and continues pro- 

 dudtive for many years. Like orchard-grass, it does 

 not become sod-bound, unless the seed is allowed 

 to ripen and fall, stands pasturing well, and remains 

 green till late in winter. Tall meadow oat-grass 

 matures exactly with orchard-grass and red clover, and 

 is therefore adapted to sowing with these crops. 



VELVET-GRASS (Holcus lanatus) 



The only part of the United States in which velvet- 

 grass occurs to an extent worthy of notice is on the 

 Pacific Coast west of the Cascade Mountains, from 

 northern California to the Canadian line. In that sec- 

 tion it is indifferently called * ' velvet-grass ' ' and " mes- 

 quite." The latter name should never be applied to 

 this grass, as it is used for several other very different 

 grasses in the Southwest. In England it is known by 

 several names, the commonest being * ' velvet-grass, ' ' 

 "meadow soft grass," and ' ( Yorkshire fog. " The 

 word ' ' fog ' ' in this connection is an old English word 

 meaning the winter growth on meadows. It is applied 

 to this grass from its habit of producing considerable 

 green herbage in winter. It is generally regarded as a 

 pest on the Pacific Coast, particularly on lands that are 

 very wet in winter and very dry in summer. This is 

 especially the case with both sandy and peaty soils on 

 the Coast. It is not utilized for feed in many localities, 

 but on the extensive areas of very sandy land around 

 the mouth of the Columbia River, and at one or two 

 points inland, it is the chief reliance, both for hay and 

 for pasture. It yields ordinarily about half a ton of 



