158 FARM GRASSES OF THE UNITED STATES 



from the sod give the mower a motion similar to that 

 of a wagon driven over a rocky road. This defect of 

 orchard-grass sod can be partially overcome by sowing 

 clover and meadow-fescue with it ; but the latter grass 



FIG. 32 — SOD OF ORCHARD-GRASS 



is little growm in this country, for reasons that will be 

 mentioned later. 



One of the most important advantages orchard- 

 grass possesses is that it ripens exactly with red clover, 

 and is thus eminently adapted to sowing with that im- 

 portant leguminous plant. It is a w T eek to ten days 

 earlier than timothy; indeed, it is one of the earliest 

 of our grasses to furnish green feed in spring, and is 

 therefore a valuable constituent of pasture mixtures. It 



