64 



pasture jiTasses. It iccinircs a j^ood soil <<iutaiuiiin; some lime in order to yield 

 prolitable crops. It is largely employed in the Kasterii and Middle States as a 

 lawn grass, for which use it is well adapted. It makes a good, lirm sod, and is 

 particularly well suited for turfing the slopes of terraces and embankments, 

 where the soil is good. There are several varieties, which dilVer chiefly in the 

 breadth and length of the leaves, particularly those at the base of the stem. 

 It is not so well adapted for the i)roduction of hay as it is for ])asturage. It 

 should enter into all mixtures designed for permanent ])a8ture. The slender 

 stems of this grass afford an excellent material for the manufacture of the finer 

 kinds of Leghorn hats. Good and well-cleaned seed should have 95 per cent 

 purity and 50 per cent germinating power. The pow er of germination, how- 

 over, is usually much below tiiis figure. When use<l for lawns, sow at the rate 



of 3 bushels i)er acre. According to Steb- 

 ler and Sehroeter, the seeds should, never 

 be covered, but only rolled after sowing, 

 because they germinate better in the light 

 than in darkness. This is the June-grass 

 of the Northern States, (ireen-grass of 

 Pennsylvania, and Smooth-stalked Mead- 

 ow-grass of England. 



No. 208. Poa subaristata Scribn. Vasey's 

 Spear-grass. 



A perennial, from central Montana, where it 

 is common on dry hills and mountain 

 slopes, forming a large percentage of the 

 grass and supplying good pasturage. It 

 is an excellent species for cultivation in 

 Northern pastures. 



No. 209. Poa trivialis Linn. Eough-stalked 

 Meadow-grass. 



,\n erect jierennial, 1 to 3 feet high, with an 

 open, spreading panicle, closely related 

 to Kentucky Blue-grass, from which it 

 differs in having no consiiicuous root- 

 stock and the stem distinctly rough below 

 the panicle. It has been cultivated for 

 many years in England, ami is now highly 

 esteemed as an ingredient in mixtures for 

 permanent pastures. It succeeds best 

 where the climate and soil are rather 

 moist and cool, but is not adapted to 

 sandy soil. In northern Italy this grass is known as the "queen of forage 

 plants," but elsewiicre,i)articularly in this country, it is not so highly esteemed, 

 its principal use being to form bottom grass in i»ermaneiif pastures. Seed of 

 good quality should have 95 per cent purity and 50 i)er cent germination. 

 When sown alone Ik to 2 bushels of seed are reciuired ])er acre. 



No. 210. Poa wheeleri Vasey. Wheeler's Hlue-grass. 



.\ iierenniai native pasture grass that grows on the high plains and on the mountain 

 sloi)es, ))elow timber lino, from Colorado northward. It is one of fht> best graz- 

 ing grasses of the Rocky Mountains and promises to do well in cultivation. 



No. 211. PoUinia fulva Heiith. Sugar-grass. 



A slender or rather stout perennial, 1 to I feet high, with narrow leaves and two 

 to tiirec terminal sjiikos, which are clothed with brown, silky hairs. It is a 



Fifi. 7(5.— Kent iiiliv Blue-grass (Poa pm 

 ten sis). 



