318 



FIELD CROPS 



cleaner in appearance. The legal weight of a bushel of 

 Kentucky blue grass seed is 14 pounds, but recleaned 

 seed will often weigh 25 pounds or more to the bushel. 

 The seed ripens in June, hence the name June grass. 



395. Importance. In the region from Virginia north 

 to the Canadian border and west to eastern Kansas and 

 Nebraska, Kentucky blue grass is the most important 

 pasture grass. It is of particular value in this region wher- 

 ever there is a noticeable quantity of lime in the soil, as this 



element seems specially 

 necessary for its best 

 growth. In the moun- 

 tain valleys of Virginia 

 and West Virginia, and 

 quite generally over 

 much of Kentucky, 

 this grass thrives as 

 it does nowhere else, 

 though in the lime- 

 stone regions of other 

 states it makes a 

 very vigorous, nutriti- 

 ous growth. With 

 white clover, it makes 

 up a very large part of our pastures. It is sown com- 

 paratively little, but seeds itself in old meadows and 

 pastures, gradually replacing the shorter-lived grasses. It 

 is also the most important lawn grass over this area. 



396. Soils. As stated in the preceding paragraph, 

 Kentucky blue grass grows best on soils which contain lime. 

 It will thrive, however, on well-drained loam and loamy clay 

 soils of the region mentioned. It will not grow on as heavy 

 clay soils as timothy or redtop, nor will it do well on sandy 



Fig. 98. Seeds of (a) Kentucky blue grass; 

 and (b) Canada blue grass. The Kentucky 

 blue grass seeds are broadest in the center 

 and pointed; the Canada blue grass seeds 

 are broadest at one end and blunt. 



