74 GRASSES IN CERTAIN PLACES. 



2. TJie Aquatic or Water Grasses are those which elect to grow 

 by the margins of rivers, in brooks or ditches, or around the 

 edges of jjonds. With feAv exceptions the}^ are of little value 

 agriculturally. Their presence is a sure indication of lack of 

 drainage. The following are examples : Plialaris arundinacea, L. 

 (Reed Canary-Grass), Phragmites communis, Trin. (Eeed-Grass), 

 Glyceria aquatica, Smith, (Reed Meadow-Grass), Glyceria fiuitans 

 R. Br. (Floating Meadow-Grass), Leersia oryzoides, Swartz, (Rice 

 Out-Grass), Zizania aauatica, L. and Z. miJiacea. Michx. (Indian 

 Rice). 



3. The Marine or Seo Side Grasses, which are chiefly found 

 near salt water or the Great Lakes. They are generally very 

 coarse and distasteful to cattle. A great proportion of the plants 

 in these situations, Avhich are cut and cured by the farmers of 

 New England and Long Island, and the Jerse}' coast, and known 

 as salt marsh hay, are not grasses, but belong to other families 

 of plants, such as the Juncacece and Cyperacece. The rliizomes 

 of some are very useful in preventing the water from washing 

 away the soil. Of marine gi*asses the following are examples : 

 Spartijia juncea, Willd. (Rush Salt-Grass), Glyceria maritima, 

 Wahl. (Goose-grass), Psamma arenaria, R. & S. (Sea Mat-weed.) 



4. The Meadoiv or Pasture Grasses. — Most of the grasses of 

 much value to agriculture belong to this section. They are the 

 leading grasses of our best meadows, pastures, and the grazing 

 lands of the jDrairies, and have received the most attention in 

 this work. 



Some of these are especially suited to, — 

 a. Upland pastures, thin soils. 

 h. Poor, stiff soils, hungry clays. 



c. Rich, deep loams. 



d. Meadows on the banks of rivers, subject to perennial floods. 



e. Irrigated meadows, in which the water can be entirely con- 



