186 



B. C. Sown March 1889 in the house. Transplanted 22nd May, This is a handsome 

 but useless perennial grass. It made a heavy growth and flowered sparingly in 

 1889 ; but every root was killed in the winter, 



64. Lolium Italicum, (Italian Eye Grass), Seed sown spring of 1890. Trans- 

 planted May 20, Speared 30th June, Flowered 26th July, Eipe 20th Aug. This seed 

 was much mixed with Perennial Eye Grass. The two species may be separated 

 when not in flower, as pointed out to me by Mr. John Speir, of Glasgow, by the fact 

 that the young shoots of Italian Eye Grass are round while those of Perennial Eye 

 Grass are flat. This grass makes a heavy growth of green leaves the first year in 

 rich land ; but is not hardy enough for the Ottawa climate. 



65. Lolium perenne, (Perennial Eye Grass). (Plate VII.) Seed sown in open 

 April, 1890. Transplanted 10th June. Did not flower, but produced an extreniely 

 heavy crop of long tender foliage which kept green till the snow came. This is 

 hardier than Italian Eye grass and makes a valuable addition to permanent pasture 

 mixtures for this district. 



66. Foa nemoralis, (Wood Meadow Grass). 



61. Foa trivialis, (Eough-stalked Meadow Grass.) I have experienced gi-eat 

 difficulty in procuring these grasses true to name. Thanks to the kindness of Mr. 

 H. de Vilmorin of Paris, I have now true seed of both, and hope to report on them 

 next year. They are reputed to be valuable grasses suitable to this climate. 



II. ASIATIC GRASSES. 



A small collection of grasses was received from India. Most of the seed was 

 mouldy and yeiy few grains would germinate. This collection consisted of the fol- 

 lowing : 



Andropogon pertusus and A. annulatus, (Mixed) Fanicum colonum, and F. ciliare. 

 None of these germinated. Setai'ia glauca (not sown, it being a common weed 

 'throughout the country). 



68. Eragrotis megastachya. — This is a wild plant in western Canada. Sometimes 

 grown as an ornamental grass. 



69. Apluda aristata. — One plant germinated, but was killed by frost before the seed 

 ripened. 



70. Cynodon dactylon. — (Bermuda grass). 



71. Eleusine Indica. — (Yard grass). Half a dozen plants of each of these grasses 

 grew ; but ihej were destroyed by frost before the seed was ripe. 



72. Eragrostis Abyssinica, (Tefl".) Seed received from the Government Botanic 

 Gardens at Bangalore, India, and from Mr. Alfred Boyd, of Toronto, and grown on 

 separate plots. Sown in house 15th March, 1890. Transplanted into beds 28th 

 June. Speared 24th July. Flowered 5th September. Some seed ripe 12th October. 

 One plot was cut for hay 10th September, and gave the remarkable crop of 170 lbs. 

 to the square rod. It was eaten by the cattle, but was not apparently very palatable. 

 The packets were labelled as Ecd and White Tefl" ; but both produced similar plants. 



73. Fmiicum miliaceum^ (Common Millet) Annual. Seed from Prof. Beal. A 

 valuable soiling crop, but not in any way equal to Indian corn. Seed ripe in 

 September. 



III. MISCELLANEOUS GRASSES. 



The following are being tested in small quantities, either for want of more 

 'material, in which case all seed is being carefully saved ; or because they are only of 

 botanical interest and are not deemed worthy of more extensive cultivation than will 

 serve for study or the distribution of herbarium specimens to botanists. In addition 

 to those enumerated below, a few plants of several of the species mentioned in list 

 I. are being grown for comparison, from seed collected in widely separated localities, 

 br upon different soils; These names are not rejjeated here. 



