92 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



are Poa Jluitans, Floating Meadow grass, or Manna grass, Poa 

 oquatica^ &c. 



Festuca pratensis — Meadow Fescue. This is the most common 

 of the fescue family, and a valuable pasture grass, somewhat con- 

 spicuous by reason of its glossy green foliage. It ripens with the 

 June grass, earlier than most others, and so readily propagates itself 

 by self-sowing. It is recommended by English writers to be used 

 in mixtures for seeding pastures, but is rarely -if ever sown purposely 

 in this country. Its long tender, succulent leaves are abundant and 

 readily eaten by cattle. Its habit is somewhat of the jungle or 

 tussock style, causing an uneven surface, and is oftencst found in 

 moist pastures and rich grass fields. The F. elatior — Tall fescue, 

 and the F. loUacea — Slender spiked fescue, often ranked as dis- 

 tinct species, are varieties of the same species, the apparent differ- 

 ence in which has been caused by cultivation. It is said to be 

 identical with the Randall grass of Virginia. 



Festiica ovlna — Sheep's Fescue. This grows from eight to ten 

 inches in hight in dense tufts. It receives its name from the eager- 

 ness with which it is eaten by sheep. F. duriuscida, Hard fescue, 

 and F. ruhra^ Red fescue, are probably varieties of the same species. 



Bromns sccalimis — Chess, Cheat, Willard's Bromus. There 

 are several species of Bromus, with regard to all of which the farmer's 

 principal interest is to keep well rid of them. ^Notwithstanding the 

 above named species has long been a well known pest in all wheat 

 growing sections, it is only a few years since it was brought promi- 

 nently into notice and extolled, as humbugs are wont to be, as a new 

 and valuable grass, producing very abundantly of a quality superior 

 to any other species, under the name of "Willard's Bromus." Four 

 and five dollars per bushel were paid in many instances, besides 

 giving a pledge that it should not be allowed to go to seed, (this in 

 order to keep the cJieat going or growing beyond the first season, 

 as being an anmial weed it would both show its true colors the first 

 year and die if not cut early.) The cheat went so smoothly for a 

 while, that in some instances prominent oflicers of Agricultural 

 Societies in a neighboring State were induced to use their influence 

 to extend its cultivation. 



Triticum repens — Couch Grass — Witch Grass — Twitch Grass — 



