ie ee 
grass will. It does best on a sandy loam with a porous subsoil, but will grow on a 
sand-bank if made rich enough. When sown alone, we would sow 2 bushels to _ 
the acre. From the nature of its growth thick seeding is necessary to secure the best 4 
results, and we think the farmer will never regret the extra first cost of sowing two 
bushels per acre. 
When sown thickly and properly protected from grazing it forms a close and very 
durable turf. Nothing will hurtit except plowing. As to time of sowing, it may be 
sown in August, September, October, February, March, or April, alone, or on wheat, 
rye, or oats. Hay made from a mixture of this grass with clover is very nutritious, 
second only to best Timothy hay made, falling very little behind it, while in 
most lands in the South the yield will exceed that of Timothy. 
Orchard grass is ready for grazing in the spring ten or twelve days sooner than any 
other that affords a full bite. When grazed down and the stock turned off, it will be 
ready for regrazing in less than half the time required for Kentucky blue grass. 
(Plate 72.) 
~ 
POA. 
Spikelets somewhat compressed, usually two to five-flowered, in a narrow or 
joose and spreading panicle, the rhachis between the flowers glabrous or sometimes 
hairy, the flowers generally perfect, in a few species dicecious; outer glumes com- 
monly shorter than the flowers, membranaceous, keeled, obtuse or acute, one to three- 
nerved, not awned; flowering glumes membranaceous, obtuse ar acute, five or rarely 
seven-nerved, the intermediate nerves frequently obscure, often scarious at the apex 
and margins, smooth or pubescent, often with a few loose or webby hairs at the 
base; palet about as long as the flowering glumes, prominently two-nerved or two- 
keeled. 
Poa arachnifera (Texas Blue Grass). 
This species was first described by Dr. Jolin Torrey in the report of 
Captain Marcy’s exploration of the Red River of Louisiana, as having 
been found on the headwaters of the Trinity, and named. Poa arach- 
' nifera from the profuse webby hairs growing about the flowers, although 
it is found that this character is very variable, probably depending 
somewhat on the amount of shade or exposure to which the grass is sub- 
jected. 
Several years ago Mr. Hogan, of Texas, sent specimens of the grass 
to this Department, and as it was shown to be a relative of the Ken- : 
tucky blue grass, Mr. Hogan adopted for the common name Texas blue 
grass. We give some extracts from his letters relating to the grass: 
I find it spreading rapidly over the country, and I claim for it all and more in Texas 
than is awarded to the Pow pratensis. It seems to be indigenous to all the prairie ~ 
country between the Trinity River and the Brazosin our State. It blooms here about 
the last of March, and ripens its seeds by the 15th of April. Stock of all kinds and 
evcn poultry seem to prefer it to wheat, rye, or anything else grown in winter. It 
seems to have all the characteristics of Poa pratensis, only itis much larger, and 
therefore affords more grazing. I have known it to grow 10 inches in ten days dur- 
ing the winter. The coldest winterscdo not even nip it, and although it seems to die 
down during summer, it springs up as soon as the first rains fall in September, 
and growsall winter. I have known it in cultivation some five years, and have never 
been able to find a fault in it. It will be ready for pasture in three or four weeks 
after the first rains in the latter part of August or 1st of September. I have never 
ent it for hay. Why should a man want, hay when he can lave green grass to feed 
his stock on? | 3 | 
