102 GRASSES AND HOW TO GROW THEM. 



reason why tlic states named furnish so mnch seed is 

 owing probaHy to 1lic relative abundance of lhe seed 

 production in ihtsc, but is also owing in part, doid^t- 

 less, to the fact that in other areas, prolific also in the 

 production of seed, the farmers have not yet come to 

 realize the profit that may accrue from harvesting blue 

 grass seed. Special care is also necessary in handling 

 and storing the seed, as shown later, and this may also 

 act as a deterring influence. But, whatever the reasons 

 that deter farmers from harvesting the seed for market, 

 with the aid of a stripper operated by hand or by horse 

 power, they may without difficulty collect seed for sow- 

 ing on their own farms and of the finest quality, which 

 may be sown in the chaff. 



The seed, as just intimated, is harvested with a strip- 

 per, of which there are two leading kinds, viz., the ro- 

 tary and the comb. The former is simply a box on 

 wheels with a revolving cylinder in front with numer- 

 ous wire nails in it. This revolves rapidly and throws 

 the seed into the box. The latter is a platform hung on 

 wheels and has in front a heavy steel comb. It is im- 

 portant that the pastures be kept free from weeds, as 

 any leaves of these which grow in the grass will be 

 thrown into the box along with the seed. Portions of 

 the heads are also thus mixed with the seed. The revolv- 

 ing stripper, which is usually about as wide as the field 

 mower, can harvest more acres in a day than the field 

 mower, since it may be driven faster. The seed is 

 ready for being harvested as soon as the heads turn 

 brown. The harvesting season usually lasts from say 10 

 to 14 days, but this is influenced by locality and is some- 



