35 



along streams in rich, open woods thronghout tbe country. In the Northwest 

 it is regarded as of some agricultural value; its cultivation is evidently worthy 

 of trial, for if it could be successfully grown its yield of hay would be large, 

 and, judging from appearances, the hay would be of good quality. 



No. 92. Elymus condeusatus Presl. Giant Eye-grass. 



The largest of the native Rye grasses, growing to the height of 

 5 to 10 feet. Common in the Eocky Mountain regions and 

 on the Pacific slope, usually growing along rivers or streams 

 the banks of which are protected and held together by the 

 strong, spreading rootstocks of the grass. This grass is 

 useful for holding the sand on railway banks, etc. When 

 young this grass makes excellent hay, and when allowed to 

 stand it affords a considerable amount of fodder for stock on 

 the winter ranges. The seeds are used for food by the Indians. 



No. 93. Elymus macoimii Vasey. Maconn's Rye-grass. 



A perennial grass, found (^uite abundantly in moist meadows, 

 in the gravelly foothills of the northern Eocky Mountains. 

 The culms are leafy, and this grass contributes cxuite 

 largely to the nati\e hay cut by the ranchers of the North- 

 west. It is apparently a very valuable species. 



No. 94. Elymus mollis Triu. Soft Sea Lyme-grass. 



A grass which closely resembles and has 

 the same habit of growth as Elymtis 

 arenarius. It is distinguished by 

 having the stem soft-downy just be- 

 low the head or spike and in having 

 five to seven flowered spikelets, the 

 outer glumes of which are broader 

 and five- to seven-nerved. This grass 

 occurs along the shores of the Great 

 Lakes and northward on both the 

 Atlantic and Pacific coasts. 



No. 95. Elymus triticoides Xutt. Wild 

 Wheat. 



Fig. 39.— Sea 

 grass (Ell/ in 

 nariui). 



Lyme- 



iis are- 



r>y some this has been regarded as a small, reduced form of 

 Ehimiiv condensatu!^, mentioned above. It grows to the 

 height of 2 to 3 or 4: feet and is native of the Eocky Moun- 

 tain region and Pacific Slope, extending eastward nearly 

 to the Mississippi. While it is a grass of good appear- 

 ance and possibly of some agricultural value, no attemjits 

 have been made to cultivate it. 



No. 96. Elymus virginicus Linn. Terrell-grass. (Fig. 40.) 



The most common of our native species of Lyme-grass, 

 growing along streams, the borders of woods and thick- 

 ets, more rarely in the open ground. It is an erect, 

 smooth grass, 2 to 3 feet high, with rigid terminal spikes, 

 which are often partly included within the upper leaf- 

 sheath. This grass has the appearance of possessing some 

 agricultural value; it forms an inferior turf, and by the 

 time it blooms all the lower leaves are usually dead. 

 When young it doubtless possesses some value as a native pasture grass. In 

 Kansas, South Dakota, and Nebraska it is regarded a valuable grass for wood- 

 land pastures. 



Fig. 40. — Terrell-gi-ass 

 (Elymus virjiiiiciis) . 



