170 FARM GRASSES OF THE UNITED STATES 



an ordinary grain-thresher with proper riddles and 

 proper control of the draft. The straw, after the seed 

 is threshed out, is readily eaten by stock. This grass 

 produces rather abundant aftermath, which furnishes 

 excellent grazing. On the approach of winter it turns 

 brown, but does not lose its palatability, and it fur- 

 nishes good pasture, even under light snow. 



Brome-grass is usually sown in spring, at the rate 

 of 20 lbs. of good, clean seed per acre. The seed does 

 not feed well through ordinary drills, and it is best to 

 sow it by hand. Like most permanent grasses in the 

 North, it makes very little growth the first year from 

 spring sowing, though it makes good pasture from 

 midsummer on. The next year it makes a fine crop 

 of hay. On the best soils it makes a good crop still 

 another season, but then begins to get sod-bound, after 

 which its best use is for pasture, unless it is plowed up 

 and harrowed in fall, as previously suggested. West 

 of the Rockies it is best to plow the land for brome- 

 grass in early spring, shortly before sowing. East of 

 the Rockies fall plowing is advisable. In the sections 

 where brome-grass is now well established it is not 

 wise to sow it with a nurse crop. Farther east, where 

 there is more summer rain, it could be sown advan- 

 tageously with any kind of spring grain. East of the 

 Dakotas it could be sow r n in late summer with excel- 

 lent results. Sown thus, it ought to make a full crop 

 the next year. 



Until recently most of the brome-seed sold by deal- 

 ers was imported from Central Europe, where this 

 grass has been a standard for more than half a century 

 (Southern Russia and Northern Austria). On account 



