Orchard Grass (Dactylis In its distribution in this country, this grass is identical with redtop, but it is adapted to drier soils. Particularly in the southern portion of its area, orchard grass flourishes in the shade of trees, hence its popular name. It may be said to be important as a hay grass only in that part of its range which extends beyond the limits of the timothy region. It is particularly import ant in the clay soils around the base of the Ap palachian range from Virginia southward, though it thrives equally well throughout the timothy region. This grass produces a large yield of rather coarse hay, which, however, is of excellent if cut by the time the blos soming period is over. If allowed to stand longer, the quality of the hay deteriorates rapidly because of the formation of woody tissue in the stems. A rather serious objection to it is that it is inclined to grow in bunches, making a rough and uneven surface dif ficult to mow; yet it is undoubtedly the best of the hay grasses in those portions of its region where timothy does not succeed. It is also an excellent pasture grass, withstanding much hard usage, and furnishing large quanti ties of herbage. In New Zealand, where this grass is very popular, and in England, it is known as cock's-foot, from the fancied resem blance of its branching seed-head to a chicken's foot.
Bermuda (Cynodon With some reservations, it may be stated that what bluegrass is to the North, Bermuda is to the South. The differences are Bermuda revels in the heat of summer, while bluegrass makes little growth in hot, dry weather. It stands drouth much better than bluegrass. On good land, Bermuda furnishes good crops of hay, which bluegrass does not. Bermuda stands trampling even better than bluegrass, and yields more pasture. On the other hand, Bermuda furnishes pasture only during the warm season; and while it furnishes larger amounts of feed than bluegrass, stock do not relish it quite so well. The seed of Bermuda is also quite un reliable and very high-priced, so that, to ensure getting a stand of it, it is the usual custom to plant small pieces of sod, which soon spread over the ground and form a complete covering. One of the most characteristic features of Ber muda is its habit of sending out long runners which run along the surface of the ground, tak ing root at the joints. This renders it a matter of considerable difficulty to eradicate the grass when it is once established. But this may be done by growing densely shading crops, such as oats in winter, followed by cowpeas or vel vet beans in summer, for one or two seasons. A single season of clean culture, such as cotton receives, will then completely destroy the Ber muda. It may also be destroyed by plowing
very shallow in midsummer, followed by suffi cient harrowing to prevent further growth be fore winter. Saint Lucie Grass is a variety of Bermuda which is found in Florida and near the Gulf Coast. It grows considerably larger than the species, and in said to remain green longer in the fall.
Johnson Grass or Means Grass (Sorghum This grass was introduced into South Carolina from Turkey near the middle of the last century. In that State it is generally known as Means grass, from Governor Means, who did much to popularize it. It was later taken to Mississippi by a Mr. Johnson, where it became widely known under his name. The most prominent characteristic of Johnson grass is its habit of producing an enormous growth of underground stems (rootstocks, or rhizomes), from each joint of which a new plant may be produced. It is therefore a matter of extreme difficulty to get rid of the grass when it is once established. It is now very generally distributed over the cotton-producing States, and is the most formidable weed found in the South. It is generally believed that it cannot be exterminated by any practicable means. This, however, is not the case. The rootstocks, which make this plant a formidable weed, begin to be formed just as the plant blossoms. If the grass be cut for hay at this time, its energies are then diverted to making growth above ground, the growth of the rootstocks being checked. A second crop of hay may be cut when the plants blossom again. Immediately thereafter the land should be plowed very shallow, and then har rowed frequently to prevent further growth till winter. The rootstocks formed the previous year will not survive a second winter, so that land treated as above described will be free from Johnson grass the next year.
While Johnson grass produces rootstocks in abundance, it spreads very slowly by this means, but spreads rapidly by seed. These are pro duced in great quantity, are readily eaten by stock and are thus carried over all parts of a farm on which it has once gained a foothold. Johnson grass usually gives three cuttings of hay in a season, of about a ton each on good land. The hay is of excellent quality, particu larly for cattle and for all horses except livery horses liable to be subjected to hard driving after a full feed. In such cases its laxative and diuretic effect becomes objectionable. As a pasture grass it cannot be compared with Bermuda, though it is greatly relished by all kinds of stock. It is soon killed down com pletely when heavily pastured, but when the land is plowed it springs up again.