GARDEN MANUAL FOR THE SOUTHERN STATES. 



101 



English Rye Grass. 



recent analysis of 

 Wolf and Knopp, 

 allowing for wa- 

 ter, gives rather 

 more nutritive 

 matter than this. 

 It grows rapidly, 

 and yields heavy 

 crops of seed, 

 makes good graz- 

 ing and good hay. 

 But, as with all 

 the Rye Grasses, 

 to make good hay 

 it must be cut be- 

 fore passing the 

 blossom stage, as 

 after that it de- 

 teriorates rapidly. The roots being short, it 

 does not bear drought well, and exhausts the 

 soil, dying out in a few years. In these 

 respects it is liable to the same objection as 

 Timothy. The stem, one to two feet high, 

 has four to six purplish joints and as many 

 dark green leaves; the flexious spiked panicle 

 bearing the distinct spikelets one in each bend. 

 English Rye is largely sown by our landscape 

 gardeners for winter lawns on Bermuda sod. 

 The Bermuda blades being easily affected by 

 frost become red and rusty looking, while Eng- 

 lish R}-e during winter presents a most beau- 

 tiful appearance, being of a vivid green, and as 

 the Bermuda during April and May makes its 

 appearance it overgrows the English Rye, 

 causing the latter to decay and act as a fer- 

 tilizer to the existing grass. It should be 

 sown in August or September, at the rate of 

 2 to 2£ bushel of seed per acre. 



ORCHARD GRASS. 



Dactylis Glomerata. 



This is one of the best grasses for pasturing. 

 It grows quickly, much more so than the 

 Blue Grass. Can be sown either in fall or 

 spring. Sow one to one and a half bushels 

 per acre. 



Of all the grasses this is one of the most 

 widely diffused, growing in Africa, Asia and 

 (?very country in Europe and all our States. 

 It is more highly esteemed and commended 

 than any other grass by a large number of 

 farmers in most countries — a most decided 

 proof of its great value and wonderful adap- 

 tation to many soils, climates and treatments. 

 It will grow well on any soil containing suffi- 

 cient clay and not holding too much water. 

 If the land be too tenacious, drainage will 

 remedy the soil; if worn out, a top dressing 

 of stable manure will give it a good send-off, 

 and it will furnish several good mowings the 

 first year. It grows well between 29 degrees 

 and 48 degrees latitude. It may be mowed 

 from two to four times a year, according to 



the latitude, season and treatment; yielding 

 from one to three tons of excellent hay per 

 acre on poor to medium land. In grazing 

 and as hay, most animals select it in prefer- 

 ence among mixtures in other grasses. In 

 lower latitudes it furnishes good winter graz- 

 ing as well as for spring, summer and fail. 

 After grazing, or mowing, few grasses grow 

 so rapidly (three to six inches per week), and 

 are so soon ready again for tooth or blade. 

 It is easily cured and handled. It is readily 

 seeded and catches with certainty. Its long, 

 deeply penetrating fibrous roots enable it to 

 sustain itself and grow vigorously during 

 droughts that dry up other grasses, except 

 tall oat grass, which has similar roots and 

 characteristics. It grows well in open lands 

 and forests of large trees, the underbush 

 being all cleared off. I have had it grown 

 luxuriantly even in beech woods, where the 



Orchard Grass. 



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