THE BLUE GRASSES IN NEW YORK STATE. 
The Value of Orchard Grass. 
T WO BLUE GRASSES.—Kentucky Blue and 
Canadian Blue, are by far the most important 
and valuable permanent pasture plants in 
New York State. Kentucky Blue grass in the pas¬ 
ture corresponds to the place of Timothy in the 
meadow. C a n a d i a n 
Blue grass in (he pas¬ 
ture corresponds to the 
place of Red-top in the 
meadow, although its 
adoptions -are some¬ 
what more restricted. 
Kentucky Blue grass Is 
the better of these two 
pasture plants, because 
it gives a greater 
amount of green growth, 
it not only grows taller, 
but it produces fewer 
stems per given area. 
These two Blue grasses 
should each he identi¬ 
fied, and greatest care 
given to that one best 
adapted to the local 
conditions of climate 
and soil. Where Ken¬ 
tucky Blue grass does 
well, there is no reason 
to believe a mixture of 
Kentucky and Canadian 
would do better, or that 
Canadian would do as 
well. Where the condi¬ 
tions are favorable to 
Canadian and unfavor¬ 
able to Kentucky, the 
former should be given 
the preference. 
KENTUCKY BLUE 
CRASS.—Under favor¬ 
able conditions, Ken¬ 
tucky Blue grass re¬ 
quires good soil, well 
drained, and a fairly 
humid climate. Its lime 
requirement is also 
high. It seems to have 
reached its greatest de¬ 
velopment on the lime¬ 
stone soil of Kentucky, 
where it is both cut for 
hay and used as a pas¬ 
ture, and where it de¬ 
rived its name. It is 
found throughout the 
Timothy belt in the 
Eastern United States, 
and can usually be 
grown successfully 
where T imot li y is 
grown. It seems to 
have a higher phos¬ 
phorus and potash requirement than nitrogen re- 
quiiement. In this latter respect it is an exception 
to most grasses. It responds well to a high state of 
soil fertility. It is adapted well to low t' npera- 
tures. It starts green growth early in Sp ng, and 
mIows late in the Fall. It may even gr w during 
Winter if properly protected. It reaches its max¬ 
imum production about June Is* up rather 
quickly when dry weather come$ g#.ch is usually 
about July 1st. and remains dormant until the Fall 
rains and cooler weather comes again. It is not 
used to any extent in New York to be cut for hay, 
for the yield of forage from Kentucky Blue is not 
as heavy as either Timothy, Red-top or Meadow 
fescue. It makes an excellent sod. which prevents 
injury from tramping. It is long lived and is more 
nearly permanent than any other grass we have. 
A LEGAL BUSIIEL AND FULL MEASURE OF BOY. Fig. 1. 
It establishes itself very slowly, requires three and 
four years to become permanently and firmly estab¬ 
lished in a pasture. The seed germinates readily 
if it is good, although the standard per cent, germin¬ 
ation is only 50 for Kentucky Blue grass. For pas¬ 
ture it is usually sown in grass mixtures which in- 
Ciude from four to 10 pound.; Kentucky Blue grass 
seed. The other grasses, such as Timothy, Red 
clover, Alsike clover. Meadow fescue and Orchard 
grass, mature more quickly and furnish forage un¬ 
til the Blue grass has occupied the soil. If the 
clovers are wanted in the pasture they must be re¬ 
sown from time to time, except White clover, which 
is a perennial plant, and requires longer to become 
established along with the Blue grass. 
( ANADIAN BLT E GRASS will grow on soils and 
under climatic conditions unfavorable to Kentucky 
Blue. It will grow on 
soils poorer in fertility, 
and under drier condi¬ 
tions than the Kentucky 
Blue, but on good soils 
and under favorable cli¬ 
matic conditions cannot 
compete with the latter. 
Canadian Blue should 
therefore be given a 
definite place in perma¬ 
nent pastures. It is in¬ 
digenous to the State, 
and on account of much 
pasture land being both 
low in fertility and dry. 
it becomes a valuable 
pasture plant. The seed 
of Canadian Blue is J$(j 
similar to the seed of 
Kentucky Blue that it 
is often used as an 
adulterant of the latter 
grass seed. Most of the 
seed is raised in Can¬ 
ada, and although hun¬ 
dreds of thousands of 
pounds are brought into 
United States from 
there, very little Cana¬ 
dian seed is sold as such 
in our markets. Perhaps 
our new seed laws will 
hereafter guarantee us 
purer Blue grass seed. 
VARIETAL CHAR¬ 
ACTERISTICS.—When 
growing, Kentucky and 
Canadian Blue grass 
may be distinguished 
from each other by the 
tint and zigzag stem of 
the Canadian Blue. 
The stem of the Ken¬ 
tucky Blue is round and 
straight. The Kentucky 
Blue is always taller— 
sometimes two times as 
high as the Canadian 
Blue under favorable 
conditions. The Ken¬ 
tucky Blue blooms from 
four to six weeks earl¬ 
ier than Canadian, and 
is sometimes called June 
grass. Canadian Blue 
grass makes as good a 
pasture so far as pala- 
tability is concerned, as Kentucky Blue. It forms 
a sod resistant to tramping. Sheep and cattle 
will thrive on a Canadian Blue grass pasture even 
though the grass has reached maturity and has be¬ 
come dried. The one important objection to Cana¬ 
dian Blue is that it does not produce as large an 
amount of green forage as the Kentucky Blue, and 
consequently it must take second place in import¬ 
ance among the pasture grasses in New York. 
