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MEADOW OAT GRASS (Avena elatior). 
This variety develops somewhat earlier than Orchard 
grass, the new foliage appearing April 12, and flower heads 
May 8. On June 1, bloom was noted, and on the 14th the 
plat was cut, although this might have been done to advan- 
tage several days earlier. One hundred square feet yielded 
at the rate of 6,525 lbs. peracre. The plants averaged 3 feet 
8 inches high, and were slender and graceful. The foliage 
is fine rather than coarse, soft, and fairly profuse. It has 
a very healthy, vigorous, deep green appearance. As fed 
to the Station cattle, both green and dry, it seemed to be 
much relished. It character, delicate and soft, makes it 
desirable as a palatable food, of easy assimilation. 
Meadow Oat grass produces a very nice second crop. On 
August 5 the piants had so developed as to present a very. 
fine appearance in foliage, and by the latter part of August 
had many heads in bloom, and were ready for cutting. This 
arieey, is well adapted to fairly moist, alluvial meadow 
ands. : 
MEADOW FOX-TAIL (Alopecurus pratensis). 
This is without doubt our earliest grass. On April 12 the 
new foliage made its first appearance, and by the 24th, less 
than two weeks later, the flower heads had appeared and a 
heavy, rich herbage covered the plat. May 3, the heads 
“were in bloom, and by the 12th the plants were mostly in 
bloom, and fit for cutting, although not cut till June 4, 
when 100 sq. ft. yielded at the rate of 12,180 lbs. per acre 
of green fodder, This green food was eaten with much 
relish by the Station cows, even after a liberal grass feed 
during the earlier part of the day. 
That which is especially commendable in this grass, is 
its earliness and the character of its herbage, which is soft 
and pleasant to the touch. It is not remarkably foliaceous, 
yet is fairly so. It has an erect, strong growth. It is well 
adapted to moist meadow lands. For early pasturage it is 
superior to any variety grown at the Station. 
JOHNSON GRASS (Sorghum halapense). 
In 1885 a small plat of clayey loam was seeded down to 
this variety. The seeds did not vegetate very well, how- 
‘ever, and those plants which grew did not develop to a sat- 
isfactory extent. Upon the advent of severely cold weather 
the plants were entirely killed to the ground, although some 
‘were strong and vigorous. Early in the spring of 1886 the 
strongest, largest roots were examined, anda specimen was 
placed in the greenhouse, but did not grow, as it had been 
killed by the winter’s cold. As warm weather came on, 
many seeds germinated, and in. 1886 the plat, one-half of 
