11 



early growth, being one of the earliest of the cultivated grasses. It is very 

 hardy, and on good soil yields a large amount of excellent forage. In Europe 

 it is reoarded as one of the best perennial pasture grasses. It should enter into 

 all nuxtures for permanent pastures, V>ecause it is very last- 

 ing, highly nutritious, and earlier than most other species. 

 This grass has a record of producing 20,418 pounds per acre 

 of green grass, 6,125 pounds of hay, and 8,167 pounds of 

 aftermath. It is never sown by itself, but is always mixed 

 with other grasses and forage plants, because it gives a 

 full yield only in the second or third year. Average number 

 of seeds in a pound, 907,000. Price of seed quoted in New 

 York catalogues, $2.30 per bushel, or $32 per 100 pounds. 



No. 18. Ammophila arenaria (Linn.) Link. Beach-grass, 



(Fig. 5.) 

 This grass grows more or less abundantly along the sandy coasts 



of the Atlantic and the shores 



of the Great Lakes. It has 



strong, creeping rootstocks, 



upright stems 2 to 4 feet high, 



and long, rather rigid leaves. 



The narrow, densely flowered 



panicles which terminate the 



stems are from 3 to 10 inches 



long. It is one of the most 



valuable grasses adapted to 



bindinjj; the drifting sands of 



our coasts, and has been culti- 



FiG. 4. — Meadow Fox- 

 tail {Alopecuruspra- 



vated for this purpose in this 

 as well as in other countries. 

 The action of this grass in hold- 

 ins: the drifting sands is like 

 that of brush or bushes cut and 

 laid upf)u the ground in accu- 

 mulating snow when drifted by the wind. The sand 

 collects around the clumps of grass, and as it accu- 

 mulates, the grass grows up and overtops it, and will 

 so contiuTie to grow, no matter how high the sand 

 hill may rise. This process goes on over the whole 

 surface of the plantation, and thus many acres may 

 be raised far above their original level. A plant will, 

 by gradual growth upwards, finally form stems and 

 roots sanded in to the depth of fully 100 feet. 

 Beach-grass is best propagated by transplanting 

 (PI. I, fig. 1). The grass is pulled by hand and 

 planted 1 to 2 feet apart, according to the slope, 

 by forcing a long spade or shovel into the sand, 

 which is then carried forward, making an opening 

 into which the roots are thrust, the spade then 

 being withdrawn and the sand pressed close about 

 them. The planting may be done either in the 

 spring or fall, preferably in the fall. When propa- 

 gation is by seed, the sowing should be done early in the spring and brush laid 

 over the ground for holding the sand and seed temporarily in place. Beach- 

 grass has been used for the manufacture of coarse paper, and it makes an excel- 

 lent and very durable thatch. It is of no value for fodder. 



Fig. 5. — Beach-grrass (Arn^yio- 

 phila arenaria): a, base of 

 culm; 6, inflorescence: c.ligule. 



