GRASSES — HITCHCOCK 311 



grasses are still in use among primitive peoples. All the species 

 mentioned are annuals and the part used is the seed. 



When animals were first domesticated by man in prehistoric times, 

 they depended upon native pasture land for sustenance. Though 

 cattle may graze upon a variety of plants, by far the most important 

 element of pasture lands is the grasses. Only within the last 2 or 

 3 centuries have grasses been grown for pastures and meadows by 

 sowing the seed of definite species. The seed of many of the cereals 

 is used for stock feed, the most important being corn and, mostly 

 for horses, oats. Corn, of American origin, is now widely cultivated 

 throughout the world. 



An important noncereal grass, sugarcane, furnishes food for man, 

 but in this case the juice of the stem is used. This is the only im- 

 portant perennial agricultural food grass. Sugarcane has come 

 into world-wide prominence only within comparatively recent years, 

 though the plant has been cultivated since prehistoric times in 

 tropical Asia. 



The cereals and also sugar are the basis of many alcoholic 

 products, much used in the industries and for beverages. 



Lawns and the greensward of parks are nearly always made up 

 of grasses. In this country the most important lawngrasses are 

 Kentucky bluegrass and the bentgrasses {Agrostis) for the northern 

 States and Bermuda grass for the South. Various forms of creep- 

 ing bent {Agrostis palustns), colonial bent {A. tenuis), and velvet 

 bent {A. canina) are, in recent years, proving valuable for putting 

 greens on golf courses. Though grasses play a minor role among 

 ornamental plants, plumegrasses (pampasgrass, Ravenna grass, 

 eulalia, and giant reed) are often used in parks to form large showy 

 clumps. 



Although bamboos are not very familiar in this country, they 

 enter largely into the life of the peoples of tropical regions, espe- 

 cially in Asia. Some primitive peoples there use them not only for 

 houses, but for practically all household utensils. 



RECENT PROGRESS IN AGROSTOLOGY 



Our knowledge of grasses is increased by observations made upon 

 living plants as they grow in their native habitat, by studies of dried 

 specimens in herbaria, where plants from different regions may be 

 compared, and by anatomical investigations with the microscope in 

 the laboratory. 



A recent expedition to Brazil has resulted in important additions 

 to our knowledge of that region. Jason E.. Swallen, assistant agros- 

 tologist, spent 8 months in northeastern Brazil, studying and col- 

 lecting grasses for the National Herbarium. He visited the states 



