Turf for Golf Courses - Msu

THE IMPORTANT TURF PLANTS 61
southern movement of the great ice sheets In the
glacial epochs. South of the glacial soils, Blue-
grass is abundant only in limestone areas, but it
thrives in California under irrigation, and in the
cotton regions occurs in the hilly sections more or
less commonly.
Kentucky Blue-grass IS unique among our turf
grasses in that it shows a strong predilection for
limestone soils. It is due to this fact, combined with
its nutritiousness, that the grass is so famous in the
limestone districts of Kentucky, Tennessee, and
Virginia. On the same reason is based the general
practice of treating lawns with lime, as Blue-grass is
the commonest grass used for this purpose. Unfortu-
nately this has led to the general belief that all
turf grasses are favored by lime, which is scarcely
the truth. Occasionally excellent Blue-grass is found
on land very poor in lime, but in such cases there is
always good drainage.
Even when not in bloom Blue-grass may readily
be recognized by its leaves. The leaf is about one-
eighth inch wide, folded so as to be V-shaped in cross
section, and the tip is boat-shaped, so that if it be
pulled between the thumb and finger, a very notice-
able"split will be formed at the point. The only other