76 



having a muddy bottom, but it can be sowu in the spring in water from 6 inches 

 to 5 feet deei). Before sowing soak the seeds in water tweutj'-fonr hours. Cur- 

 rent retail price of the seeds is 25 cents per pound. This grass is abundant in 

 the tide waters of the rivers of the Middle States, notably in the Delaware 

 below Philadelphia, where it is always designated as "the reeds." The stems 

 are used by coopers for making the joints of barrels intended to hold whisky or 



petroleum perfectly 

 tight. This grass is 

 the Manornn of the 

 Chippewa Indians, who 

 gather the grain for 

 food. 



No. 252. Zoysia pungens 

 Willd. Japanese Lawn- 

 grass. (Fig. 91.) 



A creeping maritime grass 

 growing on the sandy 

 shores of tropical and 

 eastern Asia, Australia, 

 and New Zealand. In 

 Australia it is consid- 

 ered an excellent sand- 

 binder, and, while val- 

 uable for this purpose, 

 it is at the same time 

 an excellent forage 

 plant. Under favor- 

 able circumstances it 

 forms a compact turf 

 and affords a large 

 amount of choice pas- 

 t u r a g e . Constant 

 cropping appears to 

 improve it and increase 

 the density of the turf. 

 In the foreign settle- 

 ments of China and .la- 

 pan it is prized as a 

 lawn grass, especially 

 for tennis courts. It is 

 finer-leafed than St. Augustine-grass, and may prove superior to that for lawns 

 in the Southern and Gulf States. The habit of growth of Japanese lawn-grass 

 is very similar to that of Heriiiuda, but the creeping stems are rather stouter 

 and more rigid and the upright branches or tufts of llowering steins are never 

 80 tall, rarely exceeding 6 inches. It may be propagated by root cuttings or by 

 seed. Importations of both roots and seeds from Korea have been siiceessfiilly 

 grown litTC, and the grass lias ])roved hardy as far north as Connecticut, 

 leaves turn brown in the autumn, as do those of Bermuda. 



Fig. 91. — Japanese Lawn-grass [Zoysia pungens); a to d details 

 of the spikelet. 



The 



