IIORTUS GRAMINEUS WOB L R N EN S I S. 233 



OIjs. — Culms seldou) more than a foot hioh, with two or 

 three joints, never more. The leaves are shorter than 

 those of the preceding grass (g/i/ccria Jiuifai/s), and 

 more rounded at the point. When in flower they can- 

 not be mistaken for each other: the hair-grass has only 

 two flowers in each calyx ; the flote sweet-grass from 

 five to eleven. 

 Experimenls. — At the time of flowering, the produce from 

 mud covered permanently with running water is 10,890 

 lbs. per acre. 

 This plant is an aquatic, at least I never could preserve it 

 out of water. It is found naturally growing in the mud of 

 standing pools, or running waters. It is therefore unfit for 

 cultivation. 



Flowers in the second and third w^eeks of July. Root 

 perennial and creeping. 



AIRA c(csj)itosa. Turfy Hair-grass, Hassock-grass. 



Specific character : Panicle spreading ; florets about the 

 length of the calyx, abrupt, hairy at the base ; one of 

 them on a hairy stalk ; awn short, from the bottom of 

 the outer valve; leaves flat. — Fig. 1. A single floret, 

 magnified. 2. Calyx and included florets. 



Obs. — Root fibrous; panicle large, of a fine purple silky 

 appearance ; root leaves forming dense tufts, extremely 

 rough ; the edges so sharp as to cut the finger when 

 passed between them ; culms from a foot and a half 

 to three feet high ; two, seldom or never three flowers 

 in each calyx ; hairy at the base, the lowermost one 

 sittincr. 



Experi/nenls. — At the time the seed is ripe, the produce 

 from a strong tenacious clay is 10,209 lbs. per acre. 



Experience proves the innutritions nature of this grass ; but 

 even if it had greater nutritive powers, the extreme coarse- 

 ness of the foliage would render it unfit for cultivation. Cattle 

 sometimes crop the ends of the young leaves, but in all 

 the instances that have come under my observation, it 

 appeared to be from supreme necessity. The only point to 



