Sudan This is closely related to Johnson grass, which it resembles in all re spects except two. It is an annual and it has no rootstocks. It has recently been introduced into this country from Africa, and is becoming an important hay grass in localities where bet ter grasses are wanting.
Brome Grass (Bromus This is a recent introduction from east central Europe, and on the prairie soils of the Northwest and the Pacific Northwest it occupies the place that bluegrass holds on the glacial drift of the more humid climate to the East. It is much larger than bluegrass, and hence furnishes more feed. It is much relished by all classes of stock. Stock eat with great avidity the straw from which seed is harvested, and the hay, cut just after the blossoms fall, is of excellent quality. Brome grass forms an excellent sod.
Italian Rye Grass (Lolium italicum).- This is perhaps the most important of all the meadow grasses in England and on the conti nent of Europe. It is relished by stock better perhaps than any other of the cultivated grasses; yet, for some reason not entirely clear, it is almost unknown in America. The only section of the country in which it has gained favor is in northwestern California, western Oregon and western Washington. It is adapted to a very wide range of soils. It thrives remarkably on land reclaimed from salt marshes by dyking, and it is also a valu able grass on upland soils that are inclined to be dry. Practically speaking, it is an annual, but if properly managed it reseeds itself in such a manner as to be practically a perennial. It is a valuable constituent of all pasture mix tures, and is a hay grass of much value. It is not well adapted to single culture, being rather too weak of stem to stand alone.
English Rye Grass (Loll.= perenne).- This differs from the last in no essential re spect except that it does not grow quite so tall, and is slightly more inclined to a perennial habit. It is an important European grass practically unknown in America.
Tall Fescue and Meadow Fescue (Fes tuca elatior and variety pratensis).— These two grasses differ in no essential particular (from the agriculturist's standpoint) except that the first is taller and more leafy than the second, and therefore more valuable as a forage plant. The smaller form is frequently known
as English bluegrass, a name which has led to much confusion, and which should be aban doned. It is not closely related to our Ken tucky bluegrass, nor to Canadian bluegrass (Poa compressa). Tall fescue is much con fused with meadow fescue by seedsmen, and it not infrequently occurs that seed of the latter is sold under the name of tall fescue. This fact has hindered the recognition of the de cided merits of tall fescue. Next to Italian and English rye grass, these two grasses are the most important cultivated grasses in Eu rope. But like the rye grasses, they have never been recognized as valuable grasses in this country except in a few restricted localities. One of these localities is western Missouri and eastern Kansas.
Tall Oat Grass (Arrhenatherum avena This grass is found occasionally in all parts of the country, but is nowhere an im portant crop. Stock do not eat it readily at first, but soon become accustomed to it, and then eat it freely. It has considerable value both for hay and for pasture. Its seed drops promptly when ripe, and is thus very difficult to save.
Cheat, or Chess (Bromus In the Central and Eastern States, cheat is a per nicious weed in wheat fields, and it is popularly believed that, under certain unknown condi tions, wheat turns into cheat, and it avails nothing that the fallacy of this notion has been demonstrated time and time again. In some parts of the South, and in the Willamette Valley in Oregon, cheat is sometimes grown for hay. It produces a large yield of rather poor hay. Being an annual, it is of little value for pasture.
Velvet Grass (Holcus This grass is common in the Pacific Coast region along roadsides and in waste places. On sandy soils along the coast and on peaty soils that dry out in summer, velvet grass is perhaps the most profitable hay and pasturegrass, because the better grasses do not succeed. Stock usually refuse to eat it until driven by hunger, but they will soon acquire a taste for it, and it is exceedingly nutritious. Its worst faults are its low yield and lack of palatability.