67 



Pennsylvauia, New York, and Wisconsin. Eye is more largely cultivated in 

 central and northern Europe than in America; the grain is there very largely- 

 used for making hread. It is comparatively little used in this country for that 

 purpose, being chiefly employed in the maoinfacture of malt and spirituoua 

 liquors. The straw, which is longer than that of other grains, and more uniform 

 in size throughout, is employed in the making of a great variety of articles, 

 such as paper, hats, bonnets, mats, slippers, toys, and fancy articles. Rye 

 straw is little valued for fodder, but when green it is esteemed as a forage plant, 

 and is sometimes sown for this piirpose in the Sonthei-n States, cattle being 

 allowed to graze on it during the fall and winter months. For winter graz- 

 ing it should be sown upon well-prepared land early in 

 August, Avhen it will be ready to pasture or to cut green 

 in the latter part of October, and may be grazed through- 

 out the Aviuter months. 



No. 218. Spartina cynosuroides (Linn.) Willd. Cord- 

 grass. (Fig. 79.) 



Stout, with erect, simple stems 2 to 9 feet high, fiat and 

 long-pointed leaves, and numerous erect or spreading 

 spikes 2 to 5 inches long. This is a native, common 

 along our ocean and lake shores, borders of rivers, -etc., 

 ranging from Elaine to the C'arolinas, and westward to 

 the Pacific. It makes a fair but rather coarse hay Avhen 

 cut early, and has been successfully employed in the 

 manufacture of twiue and paper. The strong, creep- 

 ing, scaly rootstocks of this grass adapt it for binding 

 loose sands and river banks, and in the AVest it is used 

 for thatch. 



No. 219. Spartina patens (Ait.) Muhl. Fox-grass. (Fig.80.) 

 A rather slender species, 1 to 2 (rarely 3 to 4) feet high, 



with two to four sknder, erect, ov widely spreading 



spikes. This is common upon the salt marshes, and is 



one of the most valued species which go to form the 



salt hay that these marshes produce. It ranges from 



Maine southward to Florida and along the Gulf coast to 



Texas. It is useful for packing glassware, crockery, 



etc., and in the larger towns along the coast is much 



used for this purpose. Fox-grass and lilack-grass (Jun- 



cus gerardi) are regarded as the best of the grasses of the 



salt marshes for the production of hay, and chemical 



analyses have proved the correctness of this opinion. 



Salt hay, composed chiefly of these grasses, at average 



market prices is decidedly cheaper than timothy hay. 



No. 220. Spartina striata inaritima (Walt.) Scribn. Creek-sedge. (Fig. 81.) 

 An erect and often stout salt marsh grass, with fiat leaves, and few to many erect 

 spikes. It varies a good deal in size, the larger form attaining a height of 5 to 8 

 feet. It grows along the ditches and creeks of the marshes, and is conspicuous by 

 its size and long, shining leaves, which are of a deep green color. Smaller forms 

 are found over the marshes away from the ditches, and these often are of a pale- 

 green tint, with comparatively short and shining leaves. All the forms are 

 somewhat succulent and have a rank odor, which is imparted to the milk and 

 butter of cows feeding upon them. The species is of little value for fodder, but 

 makes excellent thatch, and is used to some extent for litter and mulching. 

 This is a characteristic grass of the salt marshes, and is found along both the 

 Atlantic and Pacific coasts of our country and on the shores of Europe. 



No. 221. Spinifex hirsutus Labill. Spiny Rolling-grass. (Fig. 82.) 



A sand binder of the coasts of Australia, New Zealand, and Tasmania. It has stout, 



Fig. 81. — Creek -sedge 

 (f^par.tina striata man- 

 tima) 



