Block · one region of the page, as the scanner read it. It may hold a whole story, part of one, several, or an advertisement; stitching blocks into articles is the next step. Text is supplied OCR.
Page 3 · column 4 of 9 · from the scan, no model involved
Experts Boost
Va. Orchard grass
BLACKSBURG-With spring planting just around the corner, a Virginia Tech specialist has suggested using Virginia-grown orchardgrass over imported varieties.
“A lot of Danish orchardgrass seed is imported into Virginia and this seed has proved inferior to our Virginia-grown orchardgrass,” said Robert L. Harrison, Extension seed specialist.
Imported grasses have produced lower hay yields and do not live as long as Virginia orchardgrass, he noted. Tests here as well as at Orange Warsaw, Middleburg and Charlotte Court House have shown Virginia domestic orchardgrass averaging 2.9 tons of hay per acre while Danish origin seed averages 2.5 tons per acre. This could amount to as much as $12 per acre.
Little difference in yield is usually seen the first year of cutting, but Virginia grass is preferred if the grass seed is to be left for a period of time, Harrison said.
Orchardgrass is a popular coo) season forage grass in Virginia and is used in many other areas of the United States as well. It tolerates more heat and dry weather than Bromegrass or Timothy and generally is more palatable to livestock than fescue. Orchardgrass has good seedling vigor, produces good regrowth and is easily established without pastures for hay or silage.
Virginia orchardgrass has been grown many years in northern Virginia and is well adapted to area climate and soils to give high
performance. The 1968 seed crop in the state was relatively small and for this reason, Harrison said, it would be important to be sure to look at the origin of the seed prior to buying.
The use of high yielding adapted varieties is always a basic step in good farm management, and when it comes to orchardgrass for Virginia farmers, this means Virginia-grown seed. Potomac is the only other variety of orchardgrass recommended Harrison said.
92.5%