AETinCIAL PvESEEDING ON WESTERN MOUNTAIN EANGE LANDS 31 

 SEEDING TO MIXTURE 



Because of differences in cost and behavior it is often a good 

 plan to sow two or more species in mixture. Kentucky bluegrass, 

 for example, is expensive and slow in getting started. Once under 

 way, however, it is one of the most desirable plants to have on the 

 range. Timothy, on the other hand, becomes established more 

 readily, yields a fair return soon after seeding, and is much less 

 expensive than many other species. However, it is not so well able 

 to reproduce and maintain its stand under range conditions as is 

 Kentucky bluegrass. Consequently the cost of seeding may be kept 

 down, earlier returns obtained, and maintenance of cover insured if 

 two species such as these are sown in mixture. By the time the 

 less aggressive species thins out the more persistent will have estab- 

 lished itself and be producing well. 



Tlie mixtures to use differ with the growing conditions. On the 

 higher, more moist mountain areas where the growing season is 

 short, common bromegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, and Canada blue- 

 grass have given good results when sown in mixture with timothy 

 or some other bunch grass. The bunch grass may not be expected 

 to revegetate at such high elevation, but it becomes established early 

 and will not check the spread of the creeping grasses. Kedtop and 

 alsike clover also can well be included in such mixtures for use on 

 the moister situations. Orchard grass is best adapted for use in a 

 mixture for seeding at the middle or lower elevations where the 

 growing season is not too cool or too short and where there is ample 

 moisture for this species. 



On drier situations, common bromegrass in mixture with slender 

 wheatgrass or some one or two of the other more drought-resistant 

 bunch grasses should give the best results. Common bromegrass, in 

 combination with sweetclover and slender wheatgrass, is recom- 

 mended by the Colorado Agricultural College {15) for use on non- 

 irrigated farm lands where the precipitation is from 12 to 18 inches. 

 It is suggested that equal parts by weight of the three species be used 

 in making up the mixture. On fall-plowed land this combination 

 should be sown at the rate of 10 to 15 pounds per acre. 



]More study is needed as to the proper quantities of each kind of 

 seed to use in mixtures for range lands. However, indications are 

 that when the more expensive and long-lived species, such as com- 

 mon bromegrass or Kentucky bluegrass, are used in mixture with 

 a plant like timothy, a good plan is to use one-half the amount by 

 weight ordinarily used when one of the two former species is sown 

 singly, together with from three-fourths to the full amount of 

 timothy used when sown by itself. When plants with similar growth 

 habits, such as timothy and orchard grass, are sown together, one- 

 half the amounts recommended for each for pure sowing should be 

 used. If plants with light seed are to be used in combination with 

 species having heavier seed it may be necessary, in broadcast sowing, 

 to sow each kind of seed separately in order to get a well-mixed 

 stand. 



lEKIGATED-PASTUKE MIXTURES 



Where irrigated land is available for feed production as a supple- 

 ment to range land, it may be found profitable to put part of it in 



