16 



No. 30. AntLoxanthum odoratum Linn. Sweet Vernal-grass. (Fig. 11.) 

 A perennial, early-flowering, sweet-scented grass, introdnced into this country from 

 Europe, and now widely distributed over the Eastern and Central States. It is 

 an inferior fodder grass, but owing to its earliness it possesses some value in 

 mixtures for pastures, and its sweet scent adds a pleasing fragrance to hay, of 

 which it should form only a small percentage. The leaves have a bitter taste, 

 and the grass is apparently unpalatable to stock, for they will not readily eat 

 it. It is regarded as a serious pest in New Zealand. The stems have been used 



in the manufacture of imitation Leg- 

 horn hats. Average number of grains 

 in 1 pound of pure seed, 924,000. 

 Price of seed quoted in New York 

 it% catalogues, $6 per bushel. Weight 



per bushel, about 10 pounds. 



No. 31. Aristida fasciculata Torr. 

 Needle-grass. (Fig. 12.) 



ISeedle-grass grows from 6 inches to a foot 

 high, and is a native of the arid re- 

 gions, from Montana southward to 

 Texas, where it is particularly abun- 

 dant in poor soils, and presents a great 

 variety of forms. It is usually found 

 in dry, gravelly soils on the plains, 

 mesas, and foothills. In the Eastern 

 and Middle States the species of Aris- 

 tida are deemed of little or no value, 

 but in the Southwest, where every 

 mouthful of fodder of any sort has 

 value, they are not wholly worthless. 

 Aristida schiedeana and A. hromoides, 

 growing upon rocky and desert soil in 

 Arizona and New Mexico, supply in 

 their thin, scattered tufts ''dainty 

 bits seized upon by stock with avid- 

 ity." (Priugle.) 



No. 32. Aristida stricta Michx. Wire- 

 grass. 



This is one of the "wire-grasses" of the 

 Southern States, growing to the height 

 of 2 or 3 feet. The simple stems are ter- 

 minated by a narrow panicle, usually a 

 foot in length. It is common along dry, 

 sandy ridges and in the pine barrens. 



Fia. 11.— Sweet Vernal-grass (Anthoxanthiim 

 odoratum): a, spikclet; b, llorot; c, audro- 

 gynecium. 



No. 33. Arrhenatherum elatius (L.) M. & K. Tall Oat-grass. (Fig. 13.) 

 A loosely tufted perennial, 2 to 4 feet high, introduced from Europe as a fodder grass 

 and now quite generally distributed over the regions east of the Mississippi. In 

 Etirope it is regarded as one of the best meadow grasses, but is not recommended 

 for pastures. It does well in the Southern States, where it is frequently culti- 

 vated, and is valued both for winter grazing and for hay. In California it is 

 spoken of in the highest terms, particularly for its drought-resisting (pialKies. 

 It does not form a very compact turf, and when sown sliould be mixed with 

 other grasses. It grows rapidly, blooms early, and when cut dries out readily. 

 It is not suited to heavy, moist soils, but thrives best on loamy sands or loams. 

 It produces a large yield, and on good soils three or four cuttings may be 



