GRASSES AND FORAGE PLANTS. 161 



Pigeon Grass, Bristle Grass (Setaria setosa). There are two species of Setaria which 

 are common in cultivated fields in the Northern States, usually springing up after the cutting 

 of grain, and often yielding a fair crop for mowing. In some of the Southern States, and 

 particularly in Texas, there is another species that is of longer and stronger growth. Its habit 

 is much like that of the Italian millet (Setaria italica,), and its value is also much the same as 

 that species. 



Quaking Grass, (Briza media,) is sometimes met with in pastures, especially in some 

 portions of New England. Panicle erect, with very slender spreading branches, and large, 

 purplish, tremulous spikelets from five to nine flowered, inner glume finely fringed, entire at 

 the end. It is a very beautiful, light, slender grass, about a foot high, perennial. Flowering 

 in June and July. There is an annual, the Large Quaking Grass, (Briza maxima,) with 

 large many-flowered spikes, cultivated in gardens for ornament. 



Perennial Rye Grass common Darnel (Lolium perenne). Generic characters 

 spikelets many-flowered, solitary on each joint of the continuous rachis, placed edgewise. 

 Specific characters stem erect, smooth, fifteen inches to two feet high, root perennial, fibrous, 

 joints four or five, smooth, often purplish, leaves dark green, lanceolate, acute, flat, smooth 

 on the outer surface and roughish on the inner, glume much shorter than the spikelet, flowers 

 six to nine, awnless. Flowers in June. 



This grass has had the reputation in Great Britain, for many years, of being one of the 

 most important and valuable of the cultivated grasses. It is probably much better adapted to 

 a wet and uncertain climate than to one subject almost annually to droughts, which often 

 continue many weeks, parching up every green thing. There is, perhaps, no grass, the char 

 acteristics of which vary so much from the influences of soil, climate and culture, as perennial 

 rye grass. Certain it is that this grass has been cultivated in England since 1674, and in 

 the south of France from time immemorial. It is admitted to be inferior in nutritive value 

 to orchard grass, (Bactylis glomerata,) when green. 



Whenever it is cut for hay, it is necessary to take it in the blossom, or very soon after, 

 since otherwise it becomes hard and wiry, and is not relished by stock of any kind ; and it 

 changes very rapidly after blossoming, from a state in which it contains the greatest amount 

 of water, sugar, etc., and the least amount of woody fiber, into the state in which it possesses 

 the least amount of water, sugar, etc., and the greatest amount of woody fiber and other 

 insoluble solid matter. A specimen analyzed about the 20th of June, and found to contain 

 81^- per cent. Of water and 18| per cent, of solid matter, was found only three weeks later 

 to contain only 69 per cent, water, and 3 1 per cent, solid matter. It is undoubtedly a valu 

 able grass, and worthy of attention; but it is not to be compared, for the purposes of New 

 England agriculture, to Timothy or to orchard grass. It produces abundance of seed, soon 

 arrives at maturity, is relished by stock, likes a variety of soils, all of which it exhausts ; 

 lasts six or seven years and then dies out. 



Italian Rye Grass (Lolium italicum) differs from perennial rye grass in the florets 

 having long, slender awns, and from bearded darnel, (Lolium temulentum^ in the glumes being 

 shorter than the spikelets. It turfs less than the perennial rye grass, its stems are higher, its 

 leaves are larger and of a lighter green, it gives an early, quick and successive growth till 

 late in the fall. 



It has the credit abroad of being equally suited to all the climates of Europe, giving 

 more abundant crops, of a better quality, and better relished by animals than the perennial 

 rye grass. It is one of the greatest gluttons of all the grasses, either cultivated or wild, and 

 will endure any amount of forcing by irrigation or otherwise, while it is said to stand a 

 drought remarkably well. The soils best adapted to it seem to be moist, fertile and tenacious. 

 or of a medium consistency ; and on such soils it is said to be one of the best grasses known 

 to cut green for soiling, affording repeated luxuriant and nutritive crops. 



