418 



GRASSES OF IOWA. 



duces a large number of leaves aud is a much more valuable 

 forage plant than the Ne.dle grass. The fruiting glume is 

 short aud with a small point. This grass has been introduced 

 along several of our railroads o' the state and has also been 

 tried under cultivation here at the Iowa Agricultural College 

 Experiment Station Under cultivation it succeeds adooiirably. 



Blue-Joint {Calamagrostis canadensis, B^auv.) is common 

 throughout central and northern Iowa and not infrequent ia 

 the southern pxit of the state. It is essentially a boreal 

 species. In low marshes of northern Iowa it occupies consid- 

 erable area to the exclusion of other grasses. It produces 

 purplish panicles that resemble tho e of Red Top but it is 

 easily recognized from that grass by i s hairy pedicel. It 

 gro^s from tbre3 to live feet high and produces a large number 

 of leaves. Unlike some grasses the stem does not become 

 wo dy after flowering. The grass yields w'ell and produces a 

 large amount of valuable forage which is relished by stock. 

 Farmers in northern Iowa prize the hay very highly because 

 it ha 5 two essenial requisites, good yield, and it cures readily. 



Samples of this grass were analyzed as follows; 



Sampl i 1. Collected Juae 11, 1896, 25 to 26 inches high. 

 Sample 2 Collected June 24, 1896, 28 to 29 inches high. 



NATURAL CONDITION. 



Sample 1. 

 Sample 2. 



WATER fri:e substance. 



2.97 

 3 70 



98 



(5.30) 



(7.17) 



34 43 

 33 05 



9.03 

 8.79 



45 59 

 46.71 



The following are taken for comparison with the samples 

 analyzed in the Station's laboratory: 



