396 



GRASSES OF IOWA. 



WATER FREE SUBSTANCE. 



Sample I 9 74 | 1 8S | 32 51 | 10.94 | 44 94 | 7.25 



Smooth crab grass {Panicum gldbrum) is abundant in our 

 river bottoms and grows from one and a half to two feet high; 

 the stems spread over the ground, and in this way it causes a 

 great deal of annoyance where it has been introduced. The grass 

 may be used for forage purposes, but owing to its habit of 

 becoming weedy in lawns, should not be used for this purpose. 



CHEMICAL COMPOSITION. 



One simple of this g/ass was aialyzed and gave results as 

 follows: 



NATUR\L CONDITION. 



WATER FREE SUBSTANCE. 



Sample | 3.73 | 6 96 | (6 61) | 30 11 | 12.07 | 47 13 



Other Panic grasses. — The P. macrocai'jwn is a good woodland 

 species, with larger leaves and stems than Scribner's panicum. 

 The broom corn millet (P. miliaceum, L.) is cultivated occasion- 

 ally in Iowa. It is an excellent soiling plant. Several other 

 members of this genus are used for forage in other parts of the 

 world. The Shama millet (Pardcum colonum, L.) is a tropical 

 and sub-trop"cal grass, and where it grows is considered one 

 of the best forage plants. Guinea grass {Panicum maximum, 

 Jacq.), native to tropical Africa, has long been cultivated in 

 tropical America, where it yields a large amount of valuable 

 forage, growing to a height of twelve feet. Colorado grass 

 (P. texanum, Buckl ), is native to central Texas, and spoken of 

 ia the highest terms by those who have tested it. 



OTHER PRAIRIE GRASSES. 



Wild Rye {FAymus robustus, Scrib. and J. G. Sm.), is sponta- 

 neous in all parts of the s'.ate, and often forms a considerable 

 part of the upland wild prairie hay, as well as that obtained in 



