CLOVEES KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS. 35 



under "other tame grasses." As Nebraska is credited with 42,000 

 acres of clover and 92,000 acres of other tame grasses, it is quite likely 

 that a large proportion of the latter area is devoted to timothy and 

 clover mixed. Red clover has been grown upon the Nebraska Station 

 farm for many years with great success. 



Mammoth clover is a variety of red clover of more vigorous growth 

 and longer lived than the ordinary kind. The seed was sown at the 

 Nebraska Station in 1900, and gave a good stand, a vigorous growth, 

 with good fall pasture. The following year it was subjected to a severe 

 test by drought, but withstood this better than any other clover upon 

 the farm. It was about half winterkilled in the winter of 1902-1903. 



Alsike clover (TrifoMwn hybridum) is a perennial clover, in size 

 and appearance intermediate between red and white clover. It is 

 adapted to more moist ground than red clover and is recommended as 

 a constituent of wet pastures. h\ Nebraska it does not usually grow 

 tall enough for hay, but is a line clover for pasture. On the station 

 farm alsike has given good results in low spots in pastures and has 

 withstood drought well. 



Kentucky Bluegrass. 



Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) is a native of Europe and of the 

 northern part of the United States, but it is now widely cultivated; 

 it is also found as a wild grass throughout all the northern portion 

 of the United States, except the arid regions. Bluegrass is essentially 

 a pasture grass and can scarcely be excelled in regions where it reaches 

 its greatest development. In Nebraska it thrives only in the eastern 

 counties over about the same range as timothy, though it is gradually 

 spreading westward. However, in man} T places lying west of the 

 normal range it is a common constituent of pastures, and is then usually 

 established in the more shaded situations. If there are shade trees or 

 hedges, the bluegrass is quite certain to obtain a foothold and spread 

 outward, holding its own very well with even the native grasses. It 

 gives early and late pasture, but dries up in summer. 



The seed should be sown very early in the spring, on the melting 

 snow if possible, at the rate of about 25 pounds of good seed per acre. 

 If the seed is chaffy more must be used. It is customary to sow with 

 bluegrass a little white clover — 2 or 3 pounds. The latter, however, is 

 usually widespread in the bluegrass region and soon comes in itself. 



Results at the Nebraska Station shovv that bluegrass furnishes con- 

 siderable pasture, especially during spring and fall, as indicated in the 

 paragraph on pastures. 



Closed}^ allied to Kentucky bluegrass is Canada or Canadian blue- 

 grass (Poa compressa). This differs from the former in having a 

 distinctl} T flattened stem, being of a bluish-green color, in having 

 smaller flower clusters, and usually growing less tall. It is the com- 



