110 GRASSES AND FORAGE PLANTS. 



The grasses whose natural history has been stated in the pre- 

 ceding pages, might be separated into four or five distinct 

 groups, whicli would facilitate the study of them ; for it must 

 have been observed that many of them possess marked peculiari- 

 ties of growth. 



I. We find first the bush or jungle grasses, or such as are 

 not inclined to grow with other species, and form a close, 

 matted turf or sward. Of these we have as examples the 



Tufted Hair Grass, (^aira ccespitosa.^ 



Meadow Oat Grass, {avena pratensis.) 



Tall Fescue Grass, (^festuca elatior.') 

 A few others, if sown alone, will assume somewhat the same 

 form, in tufts or cushions, as 



Sheep's Fescue, (^festuca ovina.^ 



Hard Fescue, {festuca duriuscula.') 



Orchard Grass, (daclylis glomerata.') 

 This peculiarity in the growth of the last three grasses is 

 prevented by close pastviring, rolling and proper cultivation. 

 These operations improve upon nature, since if left to them- 

 selves they would far more certainly assume the jungle growth, 

 such as is often seen on poor, thin pasture soils, especially in 

 the south-eastern parts of the State, where on the sandy soils 

 this mode of growth is every where observable — a close, fine, 

 matted swaixl being attained only by careful cultivation. 



n. The aquatic or water grasses form another distinct group, 

 and among these are the 



Reed Canary Grass, (^phalaris arundinacea,') 



Common Reed Grass, (arundo phrag-mites.') 



Water Spear Grass, (^poa aquatica.') 



Common Manna Grass, (^poa fluitans.^ 



Rice Grass, (^Leersia ori/zoides.') 



Floating Foxtail, {alopecurus g-eniculatus.y 



Wild Rice, {zizania aquatica.') 

 These grasses grow mostly in water and arc nT)t cultivated 

 with us as agricultural grasses with the exception, perhaps, of 



