184 GRASSES AND HOW TO GROW THEM. 



crop the following season. While it will stand severe 

 tramping better than many other kinds of grass it should 

 not be forgotten that American experience with refer- 

 ence to this is as jet bnt little in- evidence. Its greater 

 value for pasture compared with range grasses, arises 

 not only from the earlier period when it is ready for be- 

 ing grazed, the larger return which it produces and the 

 excellence of the grazing which it fiirnishes in the 

 autumn, but also from its high palatability. As a pas- 

 ture it has probably no superior in its own special do- 

 main. 



Harvesting for Hay. — When Russian brome grass is 

 to be made into hay, it may be cut from the stage at 

 which it is fully out in head until the blossoms disap- 

 pear, according to the use that is to be made of it. As 

 in the case of timothy, it is cut at a somewhat more ma- 

 ture stage for horses than for cattle or sheep. If cut 

 too soon, the hay will be lacking in body and weight. 

 If cut too late it will be woody. But in instances in 

 which the seed stalks are not plentiful (see p. 185) the 

 injury to the hay from deferred cutting is much less than 

 when the opposite is true. A favorite time for cutting 

 is when the plants are first comijig into bloom. Much of 

 what has been said as to the mode of cutting and curing 

 timothy (see page 72) will apply also to the ciitting and 

 curing of Russian brome grass. The hay, when prop- 

 erly cured, is eaten with a relish and its feeding value 

 is much akin to the feeding value of timothy. The 

 large amount of leaf growth in it adds much to its pal- 

 atability. The hay is usually free from weeds, espe- 



