152 THE AMERICAN FARMER. 



close, somewhat inclined to one side; spikelets linear, with from five to ten cylindrical flow 

 ers; leaves linear, of a glossy green, pointed, striated, rough on the edges; stems round, 

 smooth, from two to three feet high, roots creeping, perennial. Its radical or root leaves 

 are broader than those of the stem, while in most other species of fescue the radical leaf is 

 generally. narrower than those of the stem. Flowers in June and July, in moist pastures and 

 near farm houses. 



This is an excellent pasture grass, forming a very considerable portion of the turf of old 

 pastures and fields, and is more extensively propagated and diffused by the fact that it ripens 

 its seed before most other grasses are cut, and sheds them to spring up and cover the ground. 

 Its long and tender leaves are much relished by cattle. 



It is generally sown in mixture with other grasses, as orchard grass, rye grass, or com 

 mon spear grass. It is of much greater value at the time of flowering than when the seed is 

 ripe. It is said to lose a little over fifty per cent, of its weight in drying for hay. 



Tall Fescue Grass, (Festuca elatior,} is also found pretty commonly in moist mead 

 ows and around farm houses. Its panicle is contracted, erect, or somewhat drooping, with 

 short branches, spreading in all directions; spikelets crowded, with five to ten flowers, rather 

 remote, oblong, lanceolate; leaves flatish, linear, acute; stems two to four feet high, root 

 perennial, fibrous, somewhat creeping and forming large tufts. Flowers in June and July. 



It is a nutritive and productive grass, growing naturally in shady woods and moist, stiff 

 soils. Cattle are very fond of it. Said by some to be identical with the meadow fescue. 



Hard Fescue Grass, (Festuca duriuscula,) is also found to some extent, though not 

 so commonly as the meadow fescue. It is by some regarded as a variety of the sheep s fescue, 

 taller, and with a panicle more open, leaves flat, and spikelets four to eight flowered. It 

 grows from one to two feet high. Flowers in June, in pastures and waste grounds. 



Red Fescue, (Festuca rubra,) by some regarded as only a variety of the preceding, is 

 one of the largest of the varieties of fescue. Its leaves are broadish, flat, root extensively 

 creeping, and throwing out lateral shoots. Found in dry pastures near the sea shore, in sandy 

 soils. It is a grass of better quality than some of the other varieties, but never cultivated 

 here as an agricultural product. The color of its leaves is somewhat more grayish than the 

 preceding and often tinged with red. 



Slender Spiked Fescue, (Festuca loliacea,} is a species nearly allied to the tall fescue 

 and possesses much the same qualities. It grows naturally in moist, rich meadows, forming 

 a good permanent pasture grass, but as it is met with only very rarely among American 

 grasses, and is of no value for cultivation, it scarcely deserves a more extended notice. 



Rice Grass, Cut Grass, False Rice, (Leersia oryzoides,} grows very common in 

 wet swampy places. Stems from two to three feet high, panicle erect, spreading with rough, 

 slender branches, leaves narrow or long, sheaths exceedingly rough and sharp to the hand, 

 drawn from the end backward. Florets oval and white, spikelets flat. Flowers in August. 

 Native of the Levant. Name from Leers, a German botanist. 



It is a beautiful grass, said to be useful at the South, where it is cultivated to some 

 extent, and may be cut several times in a season. It is said there to make a valuable hay. 

 At the North it is regarded as a weed, and thorough draining will destroy it. 



Redtop, Finetop, Burden s Grass, Dew Grass, Herds-Grass of Pennsylvania 



and Southern States (Agrostis vulgaris). Plants of this genus have one flowered spikelets in a 

 loose open panicle; glumes nearly equal, the lower longer than the palese, which are thin and 

 naked: stamens three perennial. 



The specific characters are, stems erect, slender, round, smooth and polished; roots 

 creeping, panicle oblong, leaves linear, ligule very short, lower palea mostly awnless and three 



