UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 

 DEPARTMENT CIRCULAR 43. 



Contribution from the Bureau of Plant Industry, 



(Forage-Crop Investigations). 



WM. A. TAYLOR, Chief. 



REDTOP (Agrostis alba). 



Redtop is the only grass of much prominence as a hay plant among 

 the many grasses belonging to the genus Agrostis. It was early 

 introduced into the American Colonies. This grass has been known 

 under many common names, such as whitetop, fiorin, white bent, and 

 herd's grass. As these names belong more properly to other grasses, 

 all of them should be dropped and the term redtop, by which it is 

 most commonly known, used exclusively. It is a perennial grass, 

 with a creeping habit of growth, which makes a coarse, loose turf. 

 It matures at about the same time as timothy. The leaves are about 

 one-fourth of an inch wide, and the stems small and wiry. The hay 

 is inclined to be tough and is generally unpopular on the market. 



VALUE. 



No grass will grow under a greater variety of conditions than red- 

 top. It is the best wet-land grass among the tame species. It will 

 grow on soils so deficient in lime that most other grasses fail. It is 

 strongly drought resistant and is often used for holding banks to 

 prevent erosion. Redtop is second only to bluegrass as a pasture 

 plant in the northeastern part of the country. It is a vigorous grower 

 and will serve in a short time where a turf is desired. It will thrive 

 from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico and from New York to Cali- 

 fornia. Though often used in lawn mixtures, its use by itself for 

 that purpose is not to be recommended. The turf is unsightly after 

 the first year, and it tends to keep out more desirable species. It will 

 add to the yield of a timothy and clover hay crop, but is considered 

 objectionable by buyers of market hay. 



USES. 



The chief uses of this grass are (1) as a wet -land or sour-land hay 

 crop; (2) as a part of pasture mixtures under humid conditions, 



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