BLUE GRASS, KENTUCKY BLUE GRASS, JUNE GRASS, MEADOW GRASS, SPEAR GRASS, a grass (Poa pratensis) of the family Poacee, native of the cooler parts of the northern hemisphere. The plant is a perennial with very numerous root stocks and long, soft radical leaves. The more or less leafy stems which rise from one to two feet are terminated by a loose pyramidal panicle three to four inches long. Blue grass forms a dense sod, which is very resistant to the trampling of stock, upon soils favorable to its growth, and is ranked as the best pasture and lawn grass throughout its range in districts and upon soils adapted to it. It attains its highest development upon limestone soils, and where found growing naturally, is considered to indicate a superior agricultural soil especially useful for stock raising. The Blue Grass re gion of Kentucky, which also extends into Ten nessee, and from which the former State de rives one of its popular names, is of limestone formation, and is noted for its superior, strong boned, well-formed stock, especially horses. Upon soils other than limestone this grass does not produce so well and up9n sandy soils it usually fails. Blue grass hay is of high quality, but is produced in too small amount to pay as well as other hay grasses. The hay cut when
the seed is in the milky stage has the following composition: Nitrogen-free extract, 34.3; crude fibre, 24.5; water, 24.3; ash, 7.0; proteid mat ter, 6.3; fat, 3.6. If the grass be allowed to mature its seed before being cut it is somewhat less nutritive because of the change in the relative proportion of nutrient material to non digestible matter. The composition of the fresh grass is as follows: Water, 65.1; nitrogen free extracts, 17.6; crude fibre, 9.1; proteid mat ter, 4.1 ; ash, 2.8; fat, 1.3. Blue grass may be propagated by sowing seed or by setting out pieces of sod. Since the seed of Kentucky blue grass is often of ion; vitality, and is frequently mixed with chaff, it should be sown rather thickly. A permanent blue grass pasture re quires about three years to become established after which, without much attention, beyond ordinary fertilizing, it may remain profitable for half a century or more. In long settled dis tricts there are occasional pastures of more than 75 years standing.