THE CULTURE AND USES OF BROME-GRASS. : 63 
Under ordinary conditions a brome-grass meadow remains produc- 
tive from three to four years, after which it becomes what is com- 
monly called “ sod-bound.” The meadow can be successfully renewed 
by breaking the sod hghtly, the time of breaking depending largely 
on the annual rainfall. 
Mixtures of brome-grass with other grasses and clovers have 
proved very satisfactory as far as they have been tried. Timothy, 
slender wheat-grass, orchard grass, meadow fescue, alfalfa, and red 
clover are used in these mixtures. 
Brome-grass is a valuable general-purpose grass, but 1s much better 
adapted for use as pasture than for hay, as it furnishes a large amount 
of grazing, especially in the spring and latein theautumn. The yield 
of hay which it produces is good and the quality very satisfactory. 
The seed habit of brome-grass is good, which makes it compara- 
tively easy to harvest and thrash. Average yields of about 300 
pounds to the acre are obtained. 
In crop rotation brome-grass has not as yet become well established, 
and by some it is looked upon rather unfavorably on account of being 
somewhat difficult to get out of the land. (Good crops, however, are 
raised after it, and it adds a considerable amount of humus to the soil. 
It is often difficult to prepare brome-grass sod for succeeding crops, 
as it does not rot readily, and for this reason it is necessary to backset 
after breaking. The time of breaking depends on the rainfall. 
21521—Bul. 111—07——5 
