78 BOARD Of AGRICULTURE. 



We "will again mention all these parts together and commend 



their study, with a grass in hand : 



n ^ \ Fibres — the true root fibres. 



( Rhizome — creeping underground stems. 



i Culm — the whole above-ground stem. 

 Stem, < Joint — a single length from node to node. 

 ( Node — the hard knot between the joints. 



( Sheath — the folding portion of a leaf. 

 Leaf, < Ligule — the tongue of the leaf 



/ Blade — the lamina or free part of the leaf. 



-p, n , ^ Glumes — the outer chaff-scales in pairs. 



^ ' / Glumels or palere — the inner chaff-scales in pairs. 



[ ( Filament- — the thread supporting the anther, 



•p ,.1, j Stamen, -^ Anther — the pouch containing the pollen. 

 f\ '^ { ( Pollen — the fertilizing dust. 



o' ' I p. .•, ) Style — the support of the stigma. 



[ ' ( Stigma — the receptable for the pollen. 



Seeds — the reproductive organs. 



A barren shoot — a flowerless branch. 



Thus far we have described the separate parts of the structure of 

 the grasses ; we have now to point out the terms used to designate 

 them when taken together, as follows : 



Herbage, that is, the leaf portion, principally concerned in 

 pasture. 



Culm, or parts which grow upright and make up so much of 

 the bulk and weight of hay. 



Heads of flowers ; the various forms which they assume. 



The quality of grasses depends so much upon the quantity and 

 physical character of the herbage that, for agricultural purposes, 

 these should always be noted with great care; hence if for hay, 

 both bulk and quality is much influenced by luxuriant leafage, a 

 character in which grasses will be found to differ in a remarkable 

 degree ; if however, this be rough and unpalatable, no matter how 

 great its quantity, such should be discouraged. Again, if for past- 

 uring, it will be necessary to note such facts as longevity^ and how 

 the species succeeds in sending up herbage under continual mutila- 

 tion by feeding off. Many grass fields are at first mown for hay, 

 and afterwards pastured ; so that it is well to encourage the growth 

 of all such species as will be found adapted to our soil, and will 

 yield us the best return in both hay and herbage. Connected with 

 this, we must not omit duration \ as for permanent pasture, pereii- 



