213 



plants by autumn; but every plant was killed by the winter. This was also the 

 experience we had with this grass in 1887 and 1888. 



Wood False-Brome Grass {B r achy podium sylvaticum). This variety went into 

 the winter of 1890 with a magnificent appearance. Every plant winter-killed. 



Crested Dog's-tail {Cynomrus cristatus). The same particulars as the last. 



Perennial Kye-grass iLolium perenne). do 



Italian Eye-grass (Lolium Italicum). do 



The following have proved themselves perfectly hardy at Ottawa, and they are 

 probably hardy in all the agricultural districts of the Dominion : — 



Tall Fescue (Festuca elatior). 



The Meadow Fescue (Festuca pratensis). 



Hard Fescue (Festuca duriuscula). 



Austrian Brome Grass (^Bromus inermis). Fig. 21. Of all the grasses not in 



general cultivation which we have tried, this is by 

 far the most promising. The seed germinates 

 readily and the young plants soon become estab- 

 lished. It is conspicuous for its free leafy growth 

 and tall stems which bear an abundance of seed. 

 It flowers here in the last week of June and has 

 produced nearly 4 tons of hay to the acre. It is 

 very hardy, eaily, and a heavy cropper, and pro- 

 duces a heavy aftermath of succulent leafy shoots, 

 one of which is shown with a panicle of seed 

 at FifiT. 20. This grass has also been call "Awn- 

 less Brome Grass," " Smooth Brome Grass" and 

 " Hungai'ian Fodder Plant." The use of the last of 

 these, however, should not be encouraged, as 

 already confusion has arisen on account of the 

 similarity of the name with "Hungarian Grass " 

 a kind of millet. 



Mr. T. Routledge, writing from Virden, Man., 

 says, 7th September : " I am convinced that this 

 grass is the very best we can get for Manitoba, 

 and the gi-owing of it here is going to be, in my 

 opinion, of very great importance in the future to 

 stock-raisers in this province. What was sown hero 

 last spring is now as green as it was a month ago 

 and would still cut for hay, although the prairie 

 grass is dried yellow. I do not think as much of 

 Fig. 20. the Western Brome (^Bromus Pumpellianus, Scrib.), 



although it is looking very well." 



Note. — The drought of the spring of 1891 affected very seriously the grasses 

 grown upon the experimental plots, as far as comparative records with other years 

 are concerned — so much so, that any fuller details than I have given above would 

 only confuse and give a wrong impression concerning many of the species. 



The figures used in illustration of this section of my report Nos. 11 — 20 have 

 been very kindly lent by the William Weld Co. (Limited), of London, Ont., and ar^ 

 the same as were used in the number of the Farmer's Advocate for March, 1892. 



WEEDS OF THE FARM. 



There has been considerable enquiry for information concereing weeds of the 

 farm, and farmers generally seem to be alive to the necessity of stamping out a new 

 pest as soon as it appears. There are certain principles which must bo borne con- 

 stantly in mind by those who wish to clear their land of noxious weeds. In the 

 present age of gieat and easy communication with all parts of the globe, there are 

 frequent opportunities for seeds of weeds being introduced into previously unin- 



