SECRETARY'S REPORT. 79 



nial grasses are absolutely necessary, annual species having nothing 

 to recommend them. 



The Culms of grasses, whether hard and wiry or soft and 

 pliable, bitter or saccharine, scanty or abundant, should also receive 

 attention; as hay both in quality and bulk, -will much depend upon 

 these circumstances. 



Heads of flowers. These are aggregated from single locusta, 

 spikelets, or smaller bunches or bundles of flowers, which may vary 

 in the following manner : 



a A single glumel to each pair of glume valves ; 

 b Two glumels and sets of flowers to a pair of glumes ; 

 Three or more glumels to each pair of glume valves. 

 Each flower, or loaista of flowers as b and c would be termed, 

 may be attached to the stem in various ways : 



On short upright foot-stalks (pedicels) in which the flowers 

 unite into a compact head or spike, as in the Foxtail grasses ; 



On longer upright foot-stalks (pedicels) forming an upright 

 panicle as in soft Brome ; 



On long and flexile foot-stalks, (pedicels,) a drooping panicle, as 

 rough-stalked Brome. 



It is not proposed to give technical descriptions of all the grasses 

 which may be mentioned, but a few are added for the purpose of 

 drawing the attention of the young farmer, who may be so disposed, 

 to their minute differences, and this with the hope that many will 

 procure the necessary aids and prosecute their investigations with 

 diligence and perseverance. 



Phleum. — Stamens 3 ; styles 2 ; flowers spiked ; spikelets single 

 flowered ; spike compact ; glumes distinct ; glumel of two equal 

 awnless valves. 



Phleum pratense — Timothy — Herds Grass of New England. 

 Glumes equal, truncated, with long points ; each valve having a 

 row of stiff hairs on the back ; leaves long, flat, rough, with long 

 sheaths ; perennial. 



Agrostis.* — Stamens 3 ; styles 2 ; spikelets in an open panicle ; 

 single flowered ; glumes of two unequal valves, often longer than 

 the glumel, the inner valve of which is sometimes minute or want- 

 ing, the outer either awned or awnless. 



* Name derived from the Greek Agros, a field. 



