92 FARM GRASSES OF THE UNITED STATES 
beef-cattle attain their highest development in this 
country. Were it not for its habit of remaining dor-. 
mant during the dry, warm months of summer, the 
length of time required to secure a good stand of it, 
and its comparatively low yield of forage, blue-grass 
would indeed leave nothing to be desired as a pasture- 
grass on soils to which it is suited. This is rather a 
formidable array of objections to bring against the 
‘‘king of pasture grasses,’’ but they are real, and 
the very general dependence on blue-grass for pastures 
leads many American farmers to the conclusion that 
they cannot afford to keep good land in pasture. This 
is particularly true in sections where the dairy industry 
is important. But in those portions of the country in 
which the production of beef is the leading feature of 
farming, blue-grass pastures occupy much of the most 
productive land; in fact, good pastures are indispens- 
able to the economical production of first-class beef 
and in raising horses on a large scale. For this reason 
we find these two industries most highly developed in 
the sections where blue-grass is at its best. 
Throughout the southern portion of its distribution 
this grass is called ‘‘ blue-grass’’ or ‘‘ Kentucky blue- 
grass.’’ In Iowa and the central parts of Illinois, 
Indiana, and Ohio, the name “‘ blue-grass’’ is generally 
used, while farther north it is generally known as 
‘June grass.’’ 
The name ‘‘ Kentucky blue-grass’’ originated from 
the fact that the grass first became prominent in that 
State. There are now sections of Iowa, Missouri, and 
Illinois in which blue-grass is nearly or quite as pro- 
ductive and as much prized as it is in the Blue-Grass 
