INSTRUCTIOX IX RAXCE MAXAGEMEXT 533 



relative importance of the plant family or subfamily (tribes) which 

 embrace the greater number of the more important palatable species, 

 to be followed by a general discussion of the variation in the period of 

 palatability of the different plant types, associations, etc. The princi- 

 ples determining palatability under the various conditions to the differ- 

 ent classes of stock should be considered in detail. 



Careful training should be given in the recognition of the more im- 

 portant genera, and to as great an extent as possible in the study of the 

 more common and widely distributed forage species which the respec- 

 tive genera embrace. Because of their relatively high importance, as 

 well as from an evolutionary standpoint, the grasses should be taken 

 up first, to be followed by a study of the grasslike plants (Carex, 

 J uncus, etc.) of the herbs other than grasses and grasslike plants, and 

 finally of the shrubs. 



The course should embrace some field-work and include a study of 

 the more common and important species occurring locally. A number 

 of the more important species, even if not occurring locally, should be 

 studied either from dry material or, better still, from fresh material 

 grown in the greenhouse or in a forage-plant nursery. The chief aim 

 of the laboratory work, however, should be to familiarize the student 

 with the more important forage genera, which could probably best be 

 shown by means of lantern slides and drawings. In the study of genera 

 special attention should be directed toward the recognition of charac- 

 teristics upon which the more important, closely related genera, such, 

 for instance, as the bluegrass (Poa) and the fescues (Festuca) , the 

 angelicas (Angelica) and poison hemlock (Cicuta), etc., are distin- 

 guished.'^ The lecture-work should aim to cover the relative economic 

 value of the different genera, especially in relation to grazing, the total 

 number of species embraced in a genus, and their general distribution. 

 The more important species in each genus should be enumerated. The 

 individual study of the most important species should consider: (i) 

 The chief taxonomic characteristics and how the plant may be distin- 

 guished from the species commonly confused with it, (2) distribution, 

 (3) growth requirements, reproduction, etc., and (4) the forage value 

 for the different classes of stock at different seasons. 



2. In the study of poisonous plants the generally accepted use of the 

 term "poison" as applied to live stock should be defined, and a critical 

 taxonomic study should be made of the chief genera and to a lesser 

 extent of the poisonous species themselves. The economic aspect, such 



' This course should be closely correlated with the studies in taxonomic botany 

 and with plant physiology and ecology. 



