CHAPTER VII. 



RED TOP. 



The name Reel Top is aiDplied in a somewhat loose 

 sense to many species of grass growing in the l^orth 

 temperate zone, all or nearly all of which are character- 

 ized hy panicles or heads more or less tinged with red- 

 dish brown or purple, as they approach the ripening 

 period. These belong to the genus Agrostis, of which 

 it is said there are about one hundred species. Of these 

 the two so-called varieties Agrostis vulgaris and Agros- 

 tis AIha, are by far the most useful. These are not 

 recognized as being botanically distinct. Wlien grown 

 on dry soils the stems are short and the panicles have a 

 lighter shade, hence probably the distinction Alba. 



Red Top in the United States is known by many 

 names, nearly all of which are more or less sectional. 

 These include Herd's gTass, Bent grass, Creeping Bent, 

 Rhode Island Bent, English Bent, White Bent, Fine 

 Bent, Burden's or Borden's grass. Dew grass. Summer 

 Dew gTass, Eiorin, Finetop and Tall Red Top. Creep- 

 ing Bent (Agrostis stolonifera) and Rhode Island Bent 

 (Agrostis canina), are considered by some authorities 

 as only modifications of the form Agrostis vulgaris 

 CTOwinc: under different soil conditions. Others look 

 upon them as varieties or sub-varieties. It may trutli- 

 fullv be said of the entire genus Agrostis, that it passes 



