NOMENCLATURE 261 
cies, have definite and universally recognized common 
names in a country. The common names, wheat, oats, 
rye and barley are definite in their application. Millet 
is not a definite name as it may mean foxtail millet, proso 
millet, sorghum, or even pearl millet. Timothy is in some 
localities called herd’s-grass, a name which is often applied 
to redtop. Kentucky blue-grass is also called June-grass, 
and Bermuda-grass is called wire-grass. Such terms as 
bunch-grass, wild oats, barley-grass and many others, are 
so indefinite in their application that they are of little 
value as names. 
Because of this lack of precision in applying common 
names it has been found necessary to introduce the use of 
the botanical or Latin names of the species. Furthermore 
the Latin name is applicable in all countries regardless of 
the native language. Well-known common names such as 
timothy and Johnson-grass may be sufficiently definite. 
Where common names are applied to different species in 
different parts of a country it is necessary to supplement 
the common name with the Latin name, for example, 
bluejoint (Andropogon furcatus, Calamagrostis canadensis, 
or Agropyron Smithit), foxtail (Chetochloa viridis, C. 
lutescens, Hordeum jubatum, H. murinum, and other 
species), wire-grass (Capriola Dactylon, Poa compressa, 
Juncus balticus) and many others. Furthermore, a large 
number of grasses have never received common names 
or only such indefinite local names as bunch-grass and 
wild oats. For such grasses it is necessary to use the Latin 
names. That the technical Latin name of a grass is readily 
accepted by the public is shown by the wide use of Bromus 
inermis. Some botanical works have attempted, with 
doubtful success, to introduce as common names the 
translations of the Latin names. Such names may be 
