Grasses For Bank-holding

Categories: Grains and Forage Crops

We desire a grass to be used on levees, to keep from washing. Bermuda or

Johnson gross are dangerous to farming lands. What we desire is a grass

that will grow in good dirt with no water to support it during most of

the year, except the annual rainfall of Fresno county. Of course, this

grass will also have to endure a great deal of water during the flooded

season of the year. We have heard that the Italian rye grass would be
br /> suitable.



The rye grasses do not have running roots; therefore are not calculated

to bind soil particles together as Bermuda grass does. If you want a

binding grass, you must take the chances of its spreading to adjacent

lands. Of course, if you could get a sod of rye grass it would prevent

surface washing from overflow, etc., to a certain extent. We are not

sure how far it would prevent bank cutting by the flowing water, for it

makes a bunchy and not a sod-like growth. It would not live through the

summer unless the levee soil keeps somewhat moist. The only way to

determine whether you can get a permanent growth of it, will be by

making a trial. Seed should be sown as soon as the ground becomes

moistened by rain. It is a very safe proposition, because if it is

willing to live through the summer, it is one of the best pasturage

grasses for places in California where it will consent to grow, and it

is not liable to become an annoyance by taking possession of adjacent

land, because it would be readily killed by cultivation.