174 GRASSES AND HOW TO GROW THEM. 



these it will grow better than almost any other kind 

 of grass that has been tried without irrigation. In 

 slough lands it grows luxuriantly when these are 

 drained, and will live and flourish though covered with 

 shallow waters even for weeks in succession while the 

 weather is cool, and yet on dry sandy soils, when once 

 established, it has great power to maintain its hold. 

 The luxuriance with which it grows is greatly influenced 

 by moisture. Because of this, the returns in pasture or 

 in hay will greatly fluctuate where the weather condi- 

 tions are fitful, hence, in certain areas of the range, 

 while in some seasons it may not be profitable to mow 

 it, in other seasons it may give a bountiful return. 



Place ill the liotation. — Russian brome grass is of so 

 recent introduction into this country, that its place in 

 the rotation has not yet been very clearly defined in 

 the practice of those who have grown it. As it has 

 been grown more under conditions where the rainfall is 

 light, the inclination has been not to break up the sod 

 where it has once been established for a number of 

 years, i^otably has this been true of the semi-arid coun- 

 try in the west, where it has been grown thus far chiefly 

 for hay. In such areas it is quite frequently sown on 

 the newly broken prairie prepared as for wheat. But in 

 time it will probably be found that it will be good prac- 

 tice to follow it with some variety of corn adapted to 

 the soil and weather conditions where this crop can be 

 successfully grown, following the corn with one or more 

 grain crops and again sowing with brome grass. The 

 number of the crops that should be taken before the 

 brome grass is again broken up cannot be stated definite- 



