204 FARM GRASSES OF THE UNITED STATES 



red fescue (-F. rubra) ^ and fine-leaved fescue (/^ tenui- 

 folia). Most of these, except red fescue, are probably 

 forms of sheep's fescue. Various-leaved fescue and 

 hard fescue are recommended for shady lawns. All 

 have fine, needle-like leaves, which need but little cut- 

 ting, as their growth is slow and they reach but a few 

 inches in hight. Most of them are bunchy in habit, 

 and must be sown thickly to form a turf. 



Italian rye-grass {Lolium italicum L. ) . This is not 

 a true lawn grass, but is often used in mixtures because 

 of its hardiness and very rapid growth, which enable it 

 to quickly cover bare ground with a pleasing coat of 

 green. It is short-lived, and will be seen but little after 

 the second year. 



Kentucky blue-grass {Poa pratensis L,. ). This is 

 the king of lawn grasses for the greater part of this 

 country, and is held to be the standard of color and 

 quality of turf. From the Atlantic to the Pacific, ex- 

 cept in the extreme South, it is successfully grown with 

 uniform and pleasing results. To the low moist clays 

 of the immediate Atlantic Coast it is not as well adapted 

 as redtop or creeping bent, and at lower altitudes than 

 the Piedmont region of the South it must give way to 

 Bermuda grass or other creeping species. Blue-grass 

 does not reach its best development in the first j'ear 

 from seed, but gradually produces a splendid and dur- 

 able sward. It does not do well in heavy shade, but is 

 suitable for parks and partly shaded areas. It is not 

 adapted to acid soils, but prefers those of limestone 

 origin. 



Rough-stalked meadow-grass {Poa trivialis I,.) and 

 wood meadow-grass {Poa nemoralis 1,.) are two species 



