26 



THE AGRICULTURAL GRASSES OF THE UNITED STATES. 



all interested. As it is figured and so fully described in another part 

 of the report more need not be said here. 



The Texas blue grass dies down during the heat of summer and 

 springs up with the first fall rains and lasts till summer again. Ber- 

 muda comes in early spring and lasts till frost comes, thus being a 

 summer pasture grass. 



WINTKR PASTURE 



From several places, especially in Georgia and Alabama, requests 

 come for a grass that will make good winter pasture, and if possible 

 one that will succeed upon weak, sandy soil. The cultivated grasses 

 best adapted for winter pasture at the South are the tall meadow oat 

 grass {ArrhenatJieruni avenaceiim), which will thrive on more sandy soil 

 than most of the cultivated grasses (though it prefers a rich upland), 

 and will yield more green food in winter than any other grass. 



Orchard grass {Dactylis glomerata) is next in value. It does well in 

 orchards and thinned woods, and will do well on any rich, dry soil. 

 After being cut or eaten down by stock it springs up again with great 

 rapidity, thus rendering it of peculiar value as a pasture grass. Ex- 

 periment demonstrates that these grasses will thrive and do well in 

 the northern and central counties of the Gulf States, an d ought to suc- 

 ceed in all sections, except, perhaps, on a very dry, sandy soil. These 

 two grasses are thought to endure the heat and drought better than 

 other cultivated grasses. Italian rye grass {Lolium Italicum) is one of 

 the very best grasses for this section. By being sown and harrowed in 

 at the first fall rains it will be ready for pasture by midwinter, and will 

 afford a rich pasturage during the latter part of winter and spring, and 

 can then be plowed under for the following crop, thus enriching the land 

 as well as furnishing abundant winter feed. By only pasturing very 

 lightly a crop of hay can be cut and the stubble turned under for a 

 following wheat or other grain crop. The attention cannot be too 

 strongly called to this useful grass. Wild rye grass {Elymus) and wild 

 meadow barley [Hordeum pratense)^ also the common cultivated rye and 

 barley, make excellent pasture. 



BEE MUD A GRASS. 



Bermuda grass has of late attracted more than usual attention. It 

 has been referred to and discussed by so many of the correspondents 

 that an idea of the estimation in which it is held cannot be better 

 given than by making a few extracts from their letters. 



Mr. Hawkins, of Barbour County, Alabama, says that he is very 

 certain now, and has been for years, that the great want of the South 

 is a grass with which the tired lands may be seeded, and some return 

 had while the land is being recuperated. Bermuda, he says, is the 

 grass to do this if it seeded, and could be easily destroyed when the 

 land is wanted for cultivation. These difficulties, he says, operate suf- 



