GRASSES OF MINOR IMPORTANCE 177 
closely resembling it. Much of the fescue-seed sold in 
America is imported, and in consequence of our lack 
of laws on the subject, as stated before, it is frequently 
the refuse of the European trade. Add to this the 
well-established position of timothy hay as the stand- 
ard on our own markets, and we have an indictment 
that would convict any grass. The difficulty of secur- 
ing good seed cheaply, the uncertainty of securing a 
stand even with good seed, and the relatively low 
yield as compared with timothy, probably account for 
the lack of recognition of meadow-fescue in this coun- 
-try. Nevertheless, stock show a decided preference 
for this grass. In experiments with cattle turned into 
a grass-garden where several hundred grasses and 
legumes were growing, meadow-fescue and tall fescue 
were always eaten in preference to all others except the 
rye-grasses. 
Meadow-fescue is occasionally met with in New 
England, New York, Pennsylvania, eastern Kentucky, 
and very sparingly elsewhere in the timothy region. 
In eastern Kansas it rises to considerable importance, 
and a great deal of seed of it is grown there and in ad- 
jacent counties in Missouri. Like most all the less- 
known grasses, when it occurs at all in this country it 
is near the outer margin of the timothy region. 
In Oregon, Washington, and northern Idaho 
meadow and tall fescue are regarded with considerable 
favor. On the basaltic wheat-producing soils of east- 
ern Washington and northern Idaho tall fescue, when 
a good stand of it is secured, is undoubtedly one of 
the best grasses, both for hay and for pasture. If 
the difficulty in securing a good catch could be mas- 
