182 FARM GRASSES OF THE UNITED STATES 
the amount of seed should be reduced approximately 
in proportion to the number of grasses in the mix- 
ture, 
TALL MEADOW OAT-GRASS (Arrhenatherum avenaceum) 
This is a grass of comparatively small importance 
in the United States. It has two serious faults, each 
of which greatly reduces its value. In the first place, 
it is not very well liked by stock, though it is possible 
to get them to eat it readily after they become accus- 
tomed to its peculiar flavor; secondly, it has decidedly 
poor seed habits. Within twenty-four hours after the 
seed starts to ripen it begins to fall. In the case of 
a small field of this grass, which the writer grew for 
seven years at the Washington State Experiment 
Station, one season it was noticed on Saturday evening 
that the seed in the top of the panicles was beginning 
to turn brown. It had been closely watched with a 
view to saving the seed. On Monday morning the 
grass was cut with an ordinary grain-binder, yet fully 
half the seed was lost, partly by falling out before cut- 
ting, and partly from shattering in the subsequent 
handling. Even if it had no other fault, this one 
would render it impracticable for general cultivation. 
The writer has met only one farmer who was enthusi- 
astic over the merits of tall meadow oat-grass. This 
was in eastern Tennessee, on the edge of the timothy 
region. In the timothy region proper it is almost 
unknown. It occurs sparingly all over the country, 
but is nowhere of great importance, and is adapted to 
a considerable variety of soils. The only reasons for 
its occurrence in America at all are that it will thrive 
