GRASSES AND FORAGE PLANTS. 



151 



maintain this young brood of suckers there must be a plentiful course of sap conveyed up 

 through the main stem or straw; by this means the grass is kept green and fit for mowing 

 all this long period.&quot; 



This grass grows abundantly in almost every part of New England, especially where it 

 has been introduced and cultivated in suitable ground, such as the borders of rivers and 

 intervals occasionally overflowed. It will not endure to be long covered with water, especially in 

 warm weather. It is well to let a piece go to seed, save the seed and scatter it over low lands. 



It makes an excellent grass for oxen, Ai 



cows, and sheep, but is thought to be 



rather fine for horses. It never grows 



so coarse or hard but that the stalk is 



sweet and tender, and eaten without 



waste. It is very easily made into hay, 



and is more nutritive, according to 



Sinclair, than either foxtail, orchard 



grass, or tall meadow oat grass. Owing 



to its constantly sending forth flower 

 ing stems, the grass of the lattermath 



contains more nutritive matter than 



the first crop at the time of flowering, 



hence the names fertilis and serotina, 



fertile and late flowering meadow 



grass. It thrives best when mixed 



with other grasses, and deserves a 



place in all mixtures for rich, moist 



pastures. 



This species is most common in 



the Northern States, particularly north 



of Pennsylvania. It is a good grass 



for moist meadows. In Wisconsin 



and some of the other Western States, 



where many natural meadows of this 



grass occur, it is highly esteemed. 



The Creeping Meadow Grass, 



(Eragrostis reptans^is frequently found 

 on the sandy banks of rivers, and is a 

 beautiful and delicate grass. Flower 

 ing in July and August. Its leaves 

 are short, nearly awl-shaped, spikelets 

 smooth, long and lance-shaped, flowers 

 SHEEP S FESCUE. acute, sheaths loose, striate and a little MEADOW FESCUE. 



hairy on the margin, panicles from one to two inches long. Not a cultivated grass. 



Sheep s Fescue, (Festuca ovina,) is known by its narrow panicle, short, tufted, 

 bristle-shaped leaves, of a grayish color, somewhat tinged with red, its two to six flowered 

 spikelets, awn often nearly wanting. It grows from six to ten inches high in dense perennial 

 rooted tufts. It forms an excellent pasturage for sheep. It flowers in June and July, in dry 

 pastures. 



Meadow Fescue, (Festuca pratensis,} is one of the most common of the fescue 

 grasses. It is said to be the Randall grass of Virginia. Its panicle is nearly erect, branched, 



