OTHER PERENNIAL GRASSES 211 



blue-grass. The culms are inclined to be coarse and vary 

 from 1J to 3 feet in height. The leaves are abundant 

 on the culm, but the blades are large and thick. The 

 inflorescence is a one-sided spreading panicle with a spike- 

 let arranged in dense clusters. The spikelets have from 

 three to four flowers, and the seeds when they mature re- 

 main within the glumes. The keel of the flowering glume 

 extends into a short, slightly curved awn. The legal 

 weight per bushel is 14 pounds, although when well cleaned 

 a bushel may weigh as much as 22 pounds. 



198. Distribution and adaptation. Orchard-grass is 

 one of the commonest grasses in England and Europe. 

 In the United States it has a wide distribution, but is of 

 the most importance here in the states just south of the 

 timothy region, especially in West Virginia, Virginia, 

 Kentucky, and Missouri. Orchard-grass will grow on 

 almost any type of soil, but grows most luxuriantly on 

 fertile, well-drained soils. It will withstand severe winter 

 cold, but is often injured by late spring frosts. 



199. Uses. Orchard-grass is important as a hay 

 grass only outside of the timothy region. Orchard-grass 

 hay, according to analysis, is equal to timothy in feeding 

 value, but unless it is cut at the proper stage of growth 

 and well cured, the live stock will not eat it as readily. 

 For the best quality of hay, the grass should be cut when 

 in full bloom. After this time it rapidly becomes woody 

 and deteriorates in palat ability and feeding value. The 

 quality of the hay depends also upon the thickness of 

 seeding; when seeded thinly, it is coarse and woody. 

 Under favorable conditions it yields two cuttings of hay 

 per year. It ripens at the same time red clover does and 

 if they are seeded together, the mixture, if cut at the proper 

 time, makes valuable hay. As a pasture grass, it is eaten 



