FRINGED BROME GRASS. 85 
FRINGED BROME GRASS (Bromus ciliatus L.) 
Seed, Plate 27, Fig. 22. 
Botanical description: Fringed Brome Grass is perennial 
with short rootstocks and grows in loose tufts. The stems are from 
two to four feet high, rather slender and generally covered with stiff 
hairs below. The leaves are broad, bright or almost yellowish green 
in colour, soft in texture, and covered with soft, short hairs on both 
sides. The panicles are generally one-sided, their long, over-hanging 
branches carrying the spikelets chiefly at their ends. The spikelets 
are usually green and readily distinguished from those of all other 
species of Bromus by having their glumes fringed with long, out- 
standing hairs. The lemma (see page 10) has a rather short, 
straight awn. 
Geographical distribution: Fringed Brome Grass is a native 
of North America. It is common in the eastern parts of “Canada. 
Habitat: It occurs in moist woods, in thickets, on river banks, 
etc., and prefers shady localities. 
Its agricultural value is little known. 
The gardeners, look, are hoeing vines to keep them clean and free of weeds; but they hoe so 
sorrily that the loose stuff grows ranker and more plentiful. Can you call such a hoer aught but an 
idle loon?—Xenophon, The Economist, 434-355 B.C. 
Straight mine eye hath caught new pleasures 
Whilst the landscape round it measures; 
Russet lawns, and fallows gray, 
Where the nibbling flocks do stray, 
Mountains, on whose barren breast 
The lab’ring clouds do often rest; 
Meadows trim with daisies pied. 
Shallow brooks, and rivers wide—Milton, L’Allegro, 1634. 
It is the Seed, and the Nature of it, which locketh and boundeth in the Creature, that it doth not 
lexpatiate;rntsaks sarc) Therefore you must make an account, that if you will have one Plant change 
into another, you must have the Nourishment over-rule the seed. And therefore you are to practice 
it by Nourishments, as contrary as may be, to the Nature of the Herb; so nevertheless as the Herb 
may grow; and likewise with Seeds that are of the weakest sort, and have least vigor. You shall do 
well therefore to take Marsh-Herbs, and plant them upon the top of Hills and Champaigns; and such 
Plants as require much moisture, upon Sandy and very dry grounds.—Bacon, Natural History. 1625 
