ORCHARD GRASS. 135 



Orchard grass is very endiaring under favorable con- 

 ditions. Meadovrs composed of this grass have been 

 mown for a dozen years and more. Instances are on 

 record wherein pastures of orchard grass have endured 

 for 40 years. But ordinarily it does not maintain its 

 hold upon the ground imimpaired for periods so long. 



Distribution. — Orchard grass is indigenous to Eu- 

 rope, and is probably grown in every country of the 

 same. It is also grown in Northern Africa, certain 

 parts of Asia and in many parts of ISTorth America. It 

 is said that it was introduced into England from Vir- 

 ginia in 1764:. In Britain it soon became greatly pop- 

 ular especially for pasture purposes. 



Orchard grass is best adapted to a temperate climate 

 in which the extremes of cold are not excessive. It can- 

 not be grown as far north as blue grass or Russian 

 brome grass, but is successfully grown further south 

 than either of these grasses. Nor can it so well with- 

 stand the sweep of cold winds in unsheltered places, 

 especially on western prairies. Like nearly all the cul- 

 tivated grasses it grows more successfully under moist 

 than under dry conditions, and yet it has considerable 

 power to grow under conditions somewhat dry when 

 once established. In Central and Western Kansas, for 

 instance, it will stand more drought than blue grass. 



In the United States orchard grass grows with no 

 little satisfaction on suitable soils in nearly all the coun- 

 try east of the dry belt, that is to say, east of a line 

 running from north to south, say 300 to 400 miles 

 west of the Mississippi river. The exceptions are the 

 wind swept areas of northwestern prairies, the light 



