94 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



a very common occupant of the sea-side in all countries, and al- 

 though of no agricultural value, it has many times been cultivated, 

 as from its peculiar growth, it operates very beneficially in tying up 

 and keeping together the sands of the coast. In England it is pre- 

 served and carefully looked after, by act of Parliament, for this 

 reason. Congress has expended at various times, upwards of thirty 

 thousand dollars in its culture on Cape Cod, for the protection of 

 Provincetown harbor from the blowing; sands which were driven in 

 by north winds, and which threatened its destruction. Its culture. 

 ■where needful, is of the easiest and simplest character possible. It 

 may be worth a trial on deep railroad cuttings, in sands liable to 

 blow, or in sandy clays liable to slide from wet and frosts. Dr. 

 Darlington, in his Agricultural Botany, ranks this grass as a species 

 of Calamagrostis. 



Anthoxanthum odoratum — Sweet-scented Vernal Grass — Van- 

 illa Grass. — This is particularly noticable for its fragrance, which is 

 said to be owing to the presence of benzoic acid. Its strong aro- 

 matic odor is perceptible, upon being bruised when green, and given 

 off freely when drying, and is imparted to other grasses when cured 

 with them. One author speaks very highly of it, and deems the 

 peculiar flavor of the spring butter sold in Philadelphia, to be in 

 consequence of its forming a considerable part of the feed in pastures 

 in that vicinity. It is not generally believed to be either very rich 

 in nutritive properties or particularly acceptable to cattle. It starts 

 quite early in spring, and runs to seed sooner than almost any other. 

 Mr. Flint, in his work on Grasses, says, that it is also one of the 

 latest in autumn, and esteems it as a pasture grass when mixed 

 largely with others. The seed was widely distributed from the Pa- 

 tent Office, a few years since. I should judge it to be indigenous 

 to Maine, having seen it in many sections, on both dry and moist 

 soils, growing most freely however, on the latter. 



Panicum germaniciim — German Millet, Hungarian Grass, 

 Honeyblade, Golden Leaf, &c. INIuch has been said and written 

 lately about Hungarian grdss and Honeyblade as new and superior 

 grasses destined to eclipse all others. Upon trial they prove very 

 similar to, if not identical with, what has long been known as German 

 or Hungarian Millet. Encomiums' of the highest character as to its 

 productiveness and value have come to us chiefly from the West, 



