168 THE AMERICAN FARMER. 



Rush Salt Grass, (Spartina juncea,) grows from one to two feet high, stems slender, 

 leaves narrow, rush-like, and very smooth. It is common on salt marshes and sandy sea- 

 beaches, and flowers in August. 



Salt Marsh Grass, (Spartina stricta, var. glabra,) grows from two to four feet high, has 

 from five to twelve spikes from two to three inches long; spikelets crowded and lapping over 

 each other. It is common on the coast. 



Sand Grass, (Tricuspis purpurea,) is also found on dry, sandy soils, along the coast; 

 flowering in August and September. It is acid to the taste, grows from six inches to a foot 

 high, and has numerous bearded joints. 



Tall Redtop, (Tricuspis sesleroides.) This grass grows from 3 to 5 feet high. It is very 

 smooth; the leaves are long and flat, the lower sheaths hairy or smoothish. The panicle is 

 large and loose, at first erect, but finally spreading widely; the branches in pairs or single, 

 naked below, flowering toward the extremities and becoming drooping. The spikelets are 5 

 to 6 flowered, 3 to 4 lines long, purple, on short pedicels. The glumes are shorter than the 

 flowers, unequal, and pointed; the lower palet is hairy toward the base, having 3 strong nerves 

 which are extended into short cusps or teeth at the summit. It is a large and showy grass 

 when fully matured, the panicles being large, spreading, and of a handsome purplish color. 

 Instead of being called Tall Red-top it would be much more properly called Purple-top. 



It grows in sandy fields and on dry, sterile banks, from New York to South Carolina, 

 westward to the prairies, and southwestward to Texas, where several other species also occur. 



It is not considered very valuable, &quot;but is however cut for hay and eaten by cattle and 

 other stock in those localities where it grows without cultivation, as in the mountain meadows 

 of Pennsylvania. It is said to be very harsh and wiry, and probably would not be eaten by 

 stock if they could have access to hay of a better quality. 



Meadow Soft Grass, Velvet Grass, (Holcus lanatus,) has its spikelets crowded in a 

 somewhat open panicle, and an awn with the lower part perfectly smooth. The generic char 

 acters are, two-flowered spikelets jointed with the pedicels, glumes boat-shaped, membran- 

 aceous, inclosing and exceeding the flowers; lower flower perfect, its lower palea awnless and 

 pointless, upper flower staminate only, bearing a stout bent awn below the apex. Stamens 

 three; grain free, slightly grooved. 



This species grows from one to two feet high, stem erect, round, root perennial, fibrous, 

 leaves four or five, with soft, downy sheaths, xipper sheath much longer than its leaf, inflated, 

 ligule obtuse, joints usually four, generally covered with soft, downy hairs, the points of which 

 are turned downwards; leaves pale green, flat, broad, acute, soft on both sides, covered with 

 delicate slender hairs. Inflorescence compound panicled, of a greenish, reddish, or pinkish 

 tinge; hairy glumes, oblong, tipped with a minute bristle. Florets of two paleae. Flowers 

 in June. Introduced. 



This beautiful grass grows in moist fields and peaty soils, but I have found it on dry, 

 sandy soils on Nantucket, and specimens have been sent me from Boxford and other places 

 where it grew on upland fields, and was cultivated with other grasses. It is productive and 

 easy of cultivation. It is of but little value either for pasture or hay, cattle not being fond of 

 it. When once introduced it will readily spread from its light seeds which are easily dis 

 persed by the wind. It does not merit cultivation except on poor, peaty lands, where better 

 grasses will not succeed. This grass loses about .63 of its weight in drying, and the hay 

 contains about 1.92 per cent, of nitrogen. 



Sweet Scented Yernal Grass, (Anthoxanthum odoratum.) Specific characteristics: 

 Spikelets spreading, three-flowered, lateral flowers neutral, with one palea, hairy on the out 

 side and awned on the back; glumes thin, acute, keeled, the upper twice as long as the lower; 



