i:^s 



general appearance they resemble small cane from the hardness and en- 

 amelled surface of the stalks and the stiff aspect of the leaves. They fur- • 

 nish pickings to stock until December. Their creeping rootstocks are 

 very troublesome on cultivated grounds, especially on newly opened bot- 

 tom lands and much resemble those of Bermuda grass. 



Sporoholus Indicus (drop seed grass) is said to be a good grass in 

 wild pastures. It is soft and succulent, springs up quickly after being 

 grazed and will last from. May until October. It usually grows in patches 

 and in low and sn;ali tufts. It is very palatable to cattle. In the West 

 several species of Sporoholus furnish good winter pastures. Sporobolus 

 asper is another species found in Tennessee and grows mainly on the 

 Cumberland table-land on sandy soils and in the oak barrens of the High- 



MuMenbevgia Mexicaiia. 



land Rim on siliceous soils. It forms one of the ica.st nutritious wild 

 grasses in the highway pastures of these regions. 



Zizania aquatica (water or Indian rice grass) is found in the 

 swampy regions of West Tennessee. It has flat leaves two to three feet 

 long and its culms grow to the height of three to nine feet. It is found 

 in swamps and on the borders of sluggish streams. In some pastures of 

 the west the seed is gathered by the Indians and made into a species of 

 mush or bread which they relish greatly. Cattle are fond of the herbage 

 and Dr. Gattinger states that in its feeding value an acre of it is equal lo 

 an acre of wheat. The seed is eaten by red birds. 



The foregoing, with the grasses described in Part I constitute the 

 principal economic true grasses in the State. A few of the domesticated 

 grasses have been found growing in the wild pastures. Among the most 

 valuable of these are the Randall grass (Festuca elatior) : meadow oat 

 or evergreen grass (Arrhenatherum clatius); Tennessee fescue (Festuca 

 rubra glauccsccns) ; various species of Paspalum and Panicum; blue grass 

 (Poa pratensis); annual spear grass (Poa annua); English blue grass 



