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22 MICHIGAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 



The Leaf: 



a. The ?!everal parts, 



b. The apparent use of the sheath, 



c. The use of the ligule, 



d. The mode of elongation of the bhide and the advantage for 



l)asturing. 



e. The effect of much heat and light and dryness on the blade, 



f. The effect of shade or moisture on the blade, 



g. Bulliform cells, their structure, action and value to the plant, 

 How the blades open and close, of June grass, orchard grass, 



timothy, Indian corn, and of what use to the plant, 

 i. The structure of blades of sheep's fescue, 

 j. The twisting of the blades and what is the advantage. 



The inflorescence of timothy, June grass, orchard grass; the spikelet 

 studied and compared in detail in ten or more leading grasses that are 

 Taluable for pasture or meadow. Empty glumes, floral glumes, awns, 

 paleae, their uses and morphology. See also Stipa, Sweet vernal grass, 

 Avena sterilis. How to distinguish true grasses from plants of other 

 families, as sedges and rushes. 



The chemical composition of grasses as affected by moisture, drainage, 

 soil, sun, and shade. 



The difficulties of obtaining uniform and reliable data. 



The relative value to man of plants of this family w^hen compared with 

 those in any other family. 



The various uses for grasses. 



The effects of over feeding native grazing lands, as in southern Africa, 

 Nebraska, Wyoming. Texas, Colorado, and the various changes going on, 

 with reasons therefor. State concisely the various points in favor of 

 growing timothy; i. e., the good qualities of this grass. In contrast, 

 name the defects. Give a brief history of its introduction and use, so far 

 as know'U in various points of the world. 



State concisely pro and con and the history 'of orchard grass, tall oat- 

 grass, meadow fescue, awnless brome grass, June grass, fowl-meadow 

 grass, red top, meadow fox-tail, perennial rye grass, Hungarian grass. 



Why is there so little know in this country concerning these and 

 other grasses? 



What are best known and most used in the United States and some 

 reasons? 



AMiat is the remedy for this ignorance and indifference? 



Why are fifty-one or more kinds of grasses, clovers, and other plants 

 found useful each for some meadows of Great Britain? 



What guides us in selecting suitable kinds for any fields? Points 

 like this: nature of soil, climate, time it is to remain, for pasture, meadow 

 or both, for all grazing animals or for horses only, or sheep only. 



Test for any purpose each grass sej)aratoly to learn which are among 

 the best, and use five to ten or more of these kinds on each field. Why 

 so many instead of one of the best? Because they always yield con- 

 siderable more than any one of the best, often fifty per cent more. 



Name the leading annual forage croj)S. Name ten that are suitable 

 for enduring two years on arable land. Name ten that are suitable for 



