50 MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS. 



are influenced largely by the method of culture, and it is often for the 

 reason that farmers do not thoroughly understand growing it that they 

 condemn it as a hay grass. Seeding evenly with the proper quantit}" 

 of seed and careful pasturing are important factors in securing a 

 good meadow. 



PASTURE. 



For pasture, orchard grass gives best results in mixtures with other 

 grasses and clovers, and is of special importance from the fact that it 

 can be grazed earlv and late in the season. It is quite a valuable grass 

 if for no other reason than this. It also stands grazing fairly well. 

 It must, however, be closely pastured; otherwise it will become too 

 coarse and woody, and stock will not eat it. Stock do not relish the 

 mature grass, and invariably lose flesh when turned on a field in this 

 condition. To secure best results from pastures, they should be mowed 

 some time during June to keep down the weeds, and again later as 

 needed. In this wa}^ they are kept clean and more productive. Blue- 

 grass and white clover are usually ver}-^ prominent in most orchard 

 grass pastures and are valuable additions, as they grow between the 

 bunches of the orchard grass, thus increasing the yield. The white 

 clover is also of value in maintaining soil fertility. 



SEED. 



Orchard grass seed is produced to some extent throughout the entire 

 region in which it is grown. There is quite a quantity raised in west- 

 ern Virginia, but the greatest seed-producing area is in the vicinity of 

 Louisville, including Jefferson, Oldham, and Shelby counties, Ky., 

 Clark County,- Ind., and some of the counties adjoining those 

 in both States mentioned, tlust wh}^ there is more seed pro- 

 duced in this section than elsewhere is not definiteh^ known. Some 

 are of the opinion that it is because orchard grass seeds more 

 readih' there, which may be true. However, the cultural methods 

 employed by farmers in this section ma}' have something to do with 

 the success attained in raising it. In Oldham County, K}^., the 

 average production is about 55,000 bushels, which represents prac- 

 tically 5,000 acres, as the yield is about 10 to 12 bushels to the acre. 

 The growing of seed in the section referred tois a profitable industry, 

 and there are many farmers who engage in it quite extensively with 

 uniform success. It is said to be a more profitable crop than wheat, 

 and when the harvest of the two conflict orchard grass is given the 

 most attention. The average price of seed for the last ten years has 

 been about $1.25 a bushel. The seed alone does not represent the 

 entire return from the field, for after it is harvested the meadows 

 afi'ord hay or pasture, or both, from which a considerable profit 

 accrues. Orchard grass seed is the controlling crop in this section, 

 and the cropping system is planned to accommodate it. 



100— VI 



