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high. It is a tender grass, and makes a sweet hay, but is slow to give 
up its moisture, and, therefore, rather difficult to cure. When 
allowed to get the better of the cultivator it becomes a troublesome 
weed, but with ordinary care it is easily subdued. At Aiken I saw a 
large lawn, quite a good-looking one, composed almost exclusively of 
this grass.” (Kearney.) 
“This is an annual grass, which occurs in cultivated and waste 
grounds, and grows very rapidly during the hot summer months. 
The culms usually rise to the height of 2 or 3 feet, and are bent at the 
lower joints, where they frequently take root. At the New Orleans 
Exposition there were specimens of this grass 5 ft. 10 in. long. 
“Professor Killebrew, of Tennessee, says: It is a fine pasture 
grass; although itehas but few base leaves and forms no sward, yet 
it sends out numerous stems or branches at the base. It serves a most 
useful purpose in stock husbandry. It fills all our cornfields, and 
many persons pull it out, which is a tedious process. It makes a 
sweet hay, and horses are exceedingly fond of it, leaving the best hay 
to eat it. 
«« Professor Phares, of Mississippi, says that the corn and cotton fields 
are often so overrun with it that the hay which might be secured 
would be more valuable than the original crop. It is sometimes 
mowed from between the rows, sometimes cut across the ridges, and 
with the corn. 
« Although so much esteemed in the South, it is considered a pest 
in the Northern States.” (Vasey.) 
“The spontaneous growth affords excellent pasturage, as well as 
hay of the first quality, if properly cured. It contains but little fibre, 
and dries quickly when cut, but if after cutting it is wet by rains or 
heavy dews its value for hay is almost entirely destroyed.” (Lamson- 
Scribner.) 
Other uses.—“It produces much seed, of which birds are fond. 
The common method of collecting and preparing it in Germany is as 
follows :—At sunrise the grass is gathered or beaten into a hair- 
sieve from the dewy grass, spread on a sheet, and dried for a fort- 
night in the sun. It is then gently beaten with a wooden pestle in a 
wooden trough or mortar, with straw laid between the seeds and the 
pestle, till the chaff comes off ; they are then winnowed. After this they 
are again put into the trough or mortar in rows, with dried marigold 
flowers, apple, and hazel-leaves, and pounded till they appear bright ; 
they are then winnowed again, and being made perfectly clean by 
this last process are fit for use. The marigold leaves are added to 
give the seed a finer colour. A bushel of seed with the chaff yields 
only about 2 quarts of clean seed. When boiled with milk and wine 
it forms an extremely palatable food, and is in general made use of 
whole, in the manner of sago, to which it is in most instances pre- 
ferred.”” (Hortus Gramineus Woburnensis). 
Habitat and range.—All over the colonies, except Tasmania and 
South Australia, in all soils and situations. Occurs also in Hurope, 
Asia, Africa, America, and the Pacific Islands. 
