30 



for ornament or as a curiosity. It is cultivated for food by some of the liill tribes 

 of India, and supplies a staple article of diet of the Tankhul Nagas of Manipur. 

 The female flowers of this grass are inclosed in a nearly globular, capsule-like 

 covering, which is very hard and becomes nearly white with age. In some coun- 

 tries these capsules are used for dress ornamentation and by the Catholics for 

 rosaries. In China this grass is cultivated to some extent, because the fruit is 

 believed to be valuable as a diuretic and antiphthisis. It is a hardy annual, 2 to 

 3 feet high, with Itroad leaves and a curious, nodding inflorescence. The "seeds" 

 may be obtained from any of the leading seedsmen. 



No. 79. Cynodon dactylou Pers. Bermuda-grass. (Fig. 32.) 



A grass widely dispersed over the tropical regions and warmer countries of the globe. 

 It has a creeping habit of growth, extending over the surface of the ground and 



rooting at the joints. In poor soils the 

 leaves are short and the upright flowering 

 stems are only a few inches high, but on 

 good land it grows to the height of 1 to 2 

 feet and yields a large amount of excellent 

 hay. It may be cut three or four times dur- 

 ing the season. In the Northern States it 

 does not afford a profitable crop and is of 

 little value for pasturage north of Virginia, 

 but in the Southern States and in the warm- 

 er regions of the Southwest and on the Pacific 

 slope it is cultivated extensively and is most 

 highly prized, chiefly for grazing, all kinds 

 of stock being exceedingly fond of it. It 

 grows freely on sandy soils where other 

 grasses will not thrive, and resists extreme 

 drought and high temjjeratures. It is par- 

 ticularly a sun-loving grass, and will not 

 thrive in the shade. It is useful for binding 

 drifting sands and the loose soil of embank- 

 ments or those subject to wash. It makes a 

 pleasing lawn grass, and is extensively used 

 for this purpose in the hotter portions of 

 the United States, for it will thrive where 

 the grasses ordinarily employed for lawns 

 could not survive. The yield of hay under 

 good conditions is from 3 to 4 tons to the 

 acre, and as high as 10 tons to the acre have 

 been produced under peculiarly favorable 

 circumstances. While this grass Avill sur- 

 vive the winters of the latitude of Phila- 

 delphia, the leafage is very sensitive to cold and turns brown Avith the first 

 frosts. This fact renders it objectionable as a lawn grass, except in regions 

 where the Avinter season is very mild. In many portions of the Southern States 

 there is probably no gra.ss equal to Bermuda for summer pastures, and none 

 Avhich will better resist the trampling of stock. Bermuda does not mature seed 

 except in the extreme southern portion of our country, but seed obtained from 

 more southern latitudes is offered for sale by some of our leading seed dealers. 

 The most direct and certain method of propagation is by transplanting, which 

 may be effected by cutting up Bermuda turf into small pieces, scattering these 

 along shalloAV furrows and covering them lightly. When once established, Ber- 

 muda grass is very persistent and dinicult to eradicate, and it sh(mld not be 

 introduced upon land Avhich is likel.v to be used for other crops. New York 

 catalogues quote the seed at $1 to $1.25 jier pound, retail. In the vicinity of 



Fig. 32.- 



-Bermiida-grass (Cynodon 

 dactylon). 



