58 GRASSES AND FORAGE PLANTS. 



green thing. There is, perhaps, no grass, the characteristics of 

 which vary so much from the influences of soil, climate and cul- 

 ture as perennial rye grass. Certain it is that this grass has 

 been cultivated in England since 1674, and in the south of France 

 from time immemorial. It is admitted to be inferior in nutri- 

 tive value to orchard grass, (dactylis g-lomerata,') vrhen green. 



Whenever it is cut for hay, it is necessary to take it in the 

 blossom, or very soon after, since otherwise it becomes hard and 

 wiry, and is not relished by stock of any kind ; and it changes 

 very rapidly after blossoming, from a state in which it contains 

 the greatest amount of water, sugar, &c., and the least amount 

 of woody fibre — into the state in which it possesses the least 

 amount of water, sugar, &c., and the greatest amount of woody 

 fibre and other insoluble solid matter. A specimen analyzed 

 about the 20th of June, and found to contain 8J^ per cent, of 

 water and 18| per cent, of solid matter, was found only three 

 weeks later to contain only 69 per cent, water, and 31 per cent, 

 solid matter. It is undoubtedly a valuable grass, and worthy of 

 attention ; but it is not to be compared, for the purposes of New 

 England agriculture, to Timothy or to orchard grass. It pro- 

 duces abundance of seed, soon arrives at maturity, is relished 

 by stock, likes a variety of soils, all of which it exhausts ; lasts 

 six or seven years, and then dies out. 



Italian Rye Grass, (lolium italicum,') has been recently 

 introduced into this State, and is now undergoing experiment 

 which will assist in determining its value for us. It differs 

 from perennial rye grass in the florets having long, slender 

 awns, and from bearded darnel, (loliu7n temulentum,') in the 

 glumes being shorter than the spikelets. This difference will 

 be manifest on reference to Fig. 5ij, and Fig. 57, which repre- 

 sents a magnified spikelet. It turfs less than the perennial rye 

 grass, its stems are higher, its leaves are larger and of a lighter 

 green, it gives an early, quick and successive growth till late in 

 the fall. 



To say that it is, or would be, the best grass in our climate 

 and on our soils, would be altogether premature ; but it has 

 the credit abroad of being equally suited to all the climates of 

 Europe, giving more abundant crops, of a better quality, and 

 better relished by animals than the perennial rye grass. It is 

 one of the greatest gluttons of all the grasses either cultivated 



