THE BLUE-GRASSES 97 
during the hottest portion of summer and being cov- 
ered too deeply with snow in winter for stock to reach 
it. Farther south the dormant period of summer 
is more pronounced, but the slighter depth of snow 
makes it available as a winter feed, for which it is 
justly prized in the latitude of southern Iowa and south 
to the limits of its range. When winter pasture is de- 
sired it is wise to keep stock off blue-grass pastures in 
the fall. 
One of the most valuable characteristics of blue- 
grass is its exceeding palatability to all kinds of stock. 
This is fully as important as its well-known nutritive 
quality. Stock eat it so readily as to render blue-grass 
pastures the most valuable adjunct to grain in the fat- 
tening process. It is becoming more and more the 
practice in the region where good blue-grass pastures 
are common to fatten cattle while at pasture. Gains 
are made more cheaply on such pastures than in any 
other manner. Without them beef production requires 
the most favorable conditions for success. 
In most parts of the Blue-Grass Region it is custom- 
ary to provide other green feed for stock in midsum- 
mer, for pastures are liable to be short at that season, 
especially if rainfallisscanty. Those who manage their 
pastures most judiciously prefer to let them rest during 
midsummer, even in seasons where there is good feed 
on them, so as to make them more productive late in 
the season. 
It is well known that blue-grass is slow in starting 
on freshly seeded land. Many farmers never plow up 
a good blue-grass sod because of the difficulty of start- 
ing a new one and the great length of time required. 
