XII 
GRASSES OF MINOR IMPORTANCE 
lomE of the grasses discussed in this chapter are 
the most important grasses of Europe. It is 
somewhat difficult to account for the lack of 
appreciation they find among our farmers. 
MEADOW-FESCUE AND TALL FESCUE 
(Festuca pratensis and var. elatior) 
Meadow-fescue is frequently called ‘‘ English blue- 
grass’’—an unfortunate name, since it leads to confu- 
sion; it is not a near relative of our blue-grass. And 
another very different grass (Poa compressa) is called 
‘« Canadian blue-grass,’’ and sometimes ‘‘ English blue- 
grass.’’ Meadow-fescue is one of the most important 
grasses of England and the Continent of Europe, being 
rivaled there only by the rye-grasses. It has been re- 
peatedly urged upon the American farmer, but he has 
persistently refused to grow it. Some of the reasons for 
this are as follows: In most of the region adapted to it 
in this country it does not yieldso wellas timothy. Its 
seed is costly, and it requires more to seed an acre than 
it does of timothy. In addition to this, meadow- 
fescue seed is not nearly so reliable as that of timothy, 
and is more adulterated, for there are many other seeds 
176 
