298 GRASSES AND HOW TO GROW THEM. 



It grows quite vigorously during much of the win- 

 ter in nearly all parts of the South. It has been 

 stated that it has been known to grow 10 inches in 

 as many days in Texas at that season. It blooms in 

 April or May according to the latitude. Even as 

 far north as Tennessee, it will keep green and furnish 

 grazing through all or nearly all the winter. It soon 

 forms a dense turf which stands grazing well. Al- 

 though the plants produce seed readily, the seed is woolly 

 in character, hence it is not easily handled or sown. 

 It is more easily propagated by means of root cuttings. 



■It is much relished by all kinds of stock and stands 

 grazing well, hence it is well adapted for permanent 

 pasture. It will make food for hay, if cut in season, 

 but its highest use is to provide winter pastures. After 

 being cut for hay or grazed in spring, it pushes up 

 readily when the fall rains come after the rest of sum- 

 mer. 



It is the complement of blue grass in the South, a 

 plant with nearly all the good qualities of the former 

 and adapted to southern conditions. 



Contrasted with Kentucky blue grass, the Texas blue 

 is taller and of stronger but coarser growth. The 

 rhizomes are also larger and stronger. It stands more 

 drought and heat than blue grass, and is even better 

 iitted for winter grazing, but it will not stand low tem- 

 peratures as well as the other. 



Distribution. — Texas blue grass is a southern grass. 

 It is native to Texas and probably some other parts of 

 the South. It is said that it was first brought into 



O 



cultivation by Geo. H. Hogan of Texas. It has been 



