THE RYEGRASSES 3 



Commercial Italian ryegrass seed usually produces some plants that 

 live into the second season. It is not definitely known whether these 

 plants are long-lived Italian ryegrass or hybrids of Italian ryegrass and 

 perennial ryegrass. Their characteristics, however, suggest they 

 probably are hybrids. Selections from Italian ryegrass have been 

 made abroad that persist 2 years, but these strains do not appear to 

 any extent on the market in the United States. Westerwold ryegrass, 

 a rapid growing variety of Italian ryegrass, has been tested in several 

 States, but has never become popular in this country. Since Italian 

 ryegrass is a heavy seeder if not kept closely grazed or mowed many 

 new plants appear from volunteer seeding. If moisture and fertility 

 are sufficient for rapid growth, it may be cut twice during the season. 



Italian ryegrass has many uses. It makes an excellent nurse crop 

 for spring-seeded permanent pastures and lawns, and gives a quick 

 cover for early grazing in pastures. When sown in combination with 

 winter grains for temporary pasture it makes a desirable bottom grass 

 and increases the length of the grazing season. Italian ryegrass is a 

 most desirable annual grass for temporary poultry range. In the 

 South it is used extensively for fall seeding on permanent lawns in 

 order to furnish a green cover in winter. It also makes a fine tem- 

 porary lawn. In the Northern States it is frequently seeded on lawns 

 in the spring to be spaded up in late summer for a permanent lawn 

 seeding in the fall. The cultural practices and rates and methods of 

 seeding are the same as given for perennial and common ryegrass. 



Perennial Ryegrass 



Perennial ryegrass, also known as English ryegrass, is quite similar 

 in general appearance to Italian ryegrass, except for the characters 

 described under Italian ryegrass. Plantings from commercial seed of 

 perennial ryegrass often disappear in 3 or 4 years, probably for the 

 reason that such plantings are from seed that is a mixture of perennial 

 ryegrass with hybrid strains of the perennial and annual species, and 

 the latter are usually short-lived. 



Perennial ryegrass differs considerably from Italian ryegrass in 

 quality. The general run of perennial ryegrass plants are very tough, 

 and therefore the grass is unpopular for lawns as it does not cut easily 

 with the lawn mower. The tough character of the foliage is not par- 

 ticularly noticeable while the plants are young, but becomes more 

 noticeable as they become older. This is true especially during the 

 hot, dry weather of July and August. 



Several strains of truly perennial ryegrass are now advertised com- 

 mercially, especially in England and New Zealand, and the seed is 

 used very extensively in seeding permanent pastures in those coun- 

 tries. These strains and many others have been tested in this coun- 

 try. The results indicate that these strains are short-lived, although 

 some plants survive for a number of years. They are best adapted to 

 regions with cool temperatures and ample moistureduring the summer. 



Pacey's ryegrass, as received in this country, is merely the small 

 seed of perennial ryegrass, separated mechanically, and as no par- 

 ticular advantage is derived from planting such seed, it has not been 

 popular here. 



