144 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



EOTTBOELLIACEiB. 

 Lepturus paniculatus (Nu.it. ?) 

 Yalley of Salinas Eiver, (Dr. Canfield, Monterey.) Of no value. 



There are known to me a few other grasses ; but they have not been 

 determined thus far. Among tliese is a bromus, a (rilicum, an elijmus, and 

 another entirely unknown ; all are of no agricultural value. 



The Geological Survey received, a 3'ear ago, some grass seeds from 

 Dr. F. Muller, Director of the Botanical Gardens at Melbourne, Australia. 

 These were given to me for distribution. Three different parties were 

 supplied with some of the seeds ; but of these three, only one, Mr. Nolan, 

 of Oakland, a gardener of superior skill and indomitable zeal, succeeded in 

 making these seeds grow. They were sown into a rather heavy clay soil, 

 at the close of the rainy season ; they were not watered, but left entirely 

 to themselves. Considering that the seeds were sown late, and received 

 no spring rains at all, the result must be called a happ}' one. In the 

 middle of September, the}' were as green, bright, and thrifty, as could 

 be desired. Thej^' had formed quite large tufts, with an abundance of 

 leaves, and yielded considerable seed, which was permitted to drop. 



The seeds were of the following grasses : 



1. Eragrostis Brownei (Nees.) 



This species attained about a foot in height, produced numerous stalks, 

 (culms;) but its leaves are very narrow, slender, and not so abundant as 

 with the other species. It is unquestionably the most inferior of the 

 three. 



2. Dantlionio pilosa (R. Br.) — One of the wild oat grasses. 



This species formed the largest tufts, and is apparently the most 

 pi'omising, although its leaves, pr rather the blades of the leaves, are not 

 so wide as those of the following. 



3. Microlxna stijwides (R. Br.) 



This grass produces less culms and smaller tuft, but its leaves, root- 

 stock leaves, as well as those of the culms, are two to three inches long 

 and nearly half an inch wide. The culms are very slender, two to three 

 feet high, and leaty. All three are perennial. As there were but few 

 plants of each kind, it was not advisable to see which is preferable for 

 cattle 



With the above three grasses was sown another, whose seeds Mr. 

 Nolan received under the name of Turkey gi-ass. (It is solium perenne, 

 (L.,) the English ray or rye grass.) It was subject to the same treat- 

 ment altogether.- Seeing them side by side, (in Sej)teml)cr,) it was too 

 evident that this species is by lUr the best. It had spread more and had 

 formed larger tiilts, with great abuiuiance of leaves, which showed no 

 signs of having suffered any by our usual summer drought. In and 

 about San Francisco this grass is much used for lawns. It also esca])ed 

 from gardens, and 1 frequently find it in swamp}' places and runs. 

 Wherever it is daily watered, or where it is found in wet localities, it 

 is tall, wir}', almost leafless, and e(jarse. This species requires a dry, 



