54 MISCELLANEOUS PAPEES. 



not uncommon to see sheep in fields that are read}^ to harvest. When 

 it is possible to do so the fields should be pastured late, as this prac- 

 tice is more efiective in keeping down the weeds, since it takes them 

 but a short time to make sufficient growth to interfere with the clean- 

 ing of the seed. Cattle are sometimes pastured on fields that are 

 intended for seed, but they tramp down too much of the grass and are 

 not as satisfactory" for this purpose as sheep. 



OTHER CtRASSES IN FIELDS INTENDED FOR SEED. 



Much has recentl}" been said regarding the presence of seeds of other 

 grasses in orchard grass seed. Those which appear to be the most 

 common are meadow fescue {Feshica pratensis) and the rye-grasses 

 {Loliurro perenne and Loliwn italicimi). The seed of these grasses is 

 much heavier, but it resembles orchard grass seed to such an extent 

 that its presence is not readily detected. Meadow fescue and rye-grass 

 have ver}^ much the same appearance, but there is no difficulty in dis- 

 tinguishing them from orchard grass, as their seed habits and general 

 habits of growth are different. If these grasses were present in con- 

 siderable quantities in the orchard grass fields in Kentucky, Indiana, 

 and western Virginia, where practically our entire supply of seed is 

 produced, the presence of their seed in orchard grass seed could be 

 readily accounted for. The orchard grass fields in these sections, how- 

 ever, are almost entirely free from other grasses, and only in a ver}^ 

 few cases are there an}^ others present, with the exception of some 

 Kentucky bluegrass {Poa pratensis) and Canada bluegrass {Poa com- 

 pressa) and a little cheat {Bnmius secalimis) and redtop {Agrostis alha). 

 Bluegrass and redtop, especially the former, come in naturally in the 

 older fields, and cheat is present practically only the first year, due 

 to its having been in the wheat which just preceded the grass crop. 

 The quantity of meadow fescue and rye-grasses in. these fields is insig- 

 nificant, and there are onty a very few cases where these grasses are 

 present at all. The total percentage of other grasses in orchard grass 

 throughout the whole seed-producing section is so small as to be hardly 

 worthy of consideration, and statements made to the effect that the 

 presence of their seed in orchard grass seed is due to the fact that they 

 are grown with the orchard grass and can not be separated from it are 

 entirely without foundation. Farmers in general are extremely care- 

 ful to keep their orchard grass fields free from other grasses, for the 

 reason that their seeds are readily detected by buyers and as a conse- 

 quence the seed invariably sells at a lower price. It is a comparatively 

 easy matter for seed growers to have pure seed for their own sowing, 

 and there would be absolutely no advantage to them in growing 

 meadow fescue, rye-grasses, and other grasses with orchard grass. 



lOO-VI 



