iSqx.] NEW-YORK MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY. 53 



PROCEEDINGS. 



Meeting OF October 30, 1890. 



The Vice-President, Mr. J. D. Hyatt, in the chair. 

 Seven persons present. 



objects exhibited. 



1. Bermuda Grass, Cynodon dactyloii, inflorescence : by P. H. 

 Dudley. 



2. A sub-stage condenser : by J. D. Hyatt. 



President Dudley furnished a description of his exhibit as 

 follows : 



" The specimen of Bermuda Grass exhibited is from the New 

 Orleans and North Eastern Railroad embankment, in Missis- 

 sippi, and was collected in June, 1890. 



" ' It is a low creeping perennial grass, with abundant short 

 leaves at the base, sending up slender, nearly leafless culms, 

 which have from three to five slender diverging spikes at the 

 summit. The spikelets are sessile in two rows on one side of 

 the slender spikes ; they each have one flower with a short 

 pediceled naked rudiment of a second flower ; the outer glumes 

 nearly equal, keeled, the flowering glume boat-shaped, broader 

 and prominently keeled.' (Vasey.) 



" This beautiful little grass in many parts of the South is of 

 great value in protecting railroad embankments and levees from 

 washing. Once planted it is extremely difficult to eradicate, 

 soon re-grassing the roadbed, when ties have been renewed or 

 other repairs made. In most cases the entire roadbed would 

 be covered, the only portion of the track visible being the two 

 bright surfaces of the line of rails. I did not notice the spike- 

 lets rising but one or two inches above the top of the rails, yet 

 in some places so many were crushed on the rails by the drivers 

 that the adhesion of the locomotive was affected. 



" Though the Bermuda Grass is a native of tropical countries 

 it rarely seeds in the Southern States, and is propagated by 

 planting small pieces of its sod a few feet apart, the grass 

 quickly growing and filling the entire space. It thrives in the 

 hottest weather, and is little affected by drouth. The tops are 

 killed by the frost, though the roots are hardy. The stability it 



