GRASSES AND FORAGE PLANTS. 171 



seed ovate, adhering to the palea which incloses it; root perennial. Flowers in May and 

 June. Stems from one and a half to two feet high. Introduced from Europe. 



This is one of the earliest spring grasses, as well as one of the latest in the autumn. It 

 is almost the only grass that is fragrant. It possesses a property peculiar to this species, or 

 possessed by only a few others, known as benzoic acid. It is said to be this which not only 

 gives it its own aromatic odor, but imparts it to other grasses with which it is cured. The 

 green leaves when bruised give out this perfume to the fingers, and the plant may thus be 

 known. It possesses but little value of itself, its nutritive properties being slight; nor is it 

 much relished by stock of any kind, but as a pasture grass on almost all soils, and with a 

 large mixture o other grasses, it is very valuable for its early growth, and this gives it the 

 character of a permanent pasture grass. 



It is not uncommon in New England pastures and road-sides, growing as if it were indi 

 genous. I have found fine specimens of it on dry soils at Nantucket and elsewhere. 



The aftermath or fall growth of this beautiful grass is said to be richer in nutritive qual 

 ities than the growth of the spring. Though it is pretty generally diffused over the country, 

 it is only on certain soils that it takes complete possession of the surface and forms the pre 

 dominant grass in a permanent turf, as it is said to do in some sections around Philadelphia. 

 The flavor of the spring butter sold in that city is ascribed by some to the prevalence of this 

 grass. There seems to be nothing inconsistent in this supposition, since it is well known that 

 disagreeable flavors are often imparted to the milk and the butter by the substances taken as 

 food by the cow, as turnips, for instance, or cabbages, or cauliflowers; and if an objectionable 

 flavor may be imparted by one substance, it is reasonable to suppose an opposite flavor may 

 be given by another. 



Dr. Emerson, of Philadelphia, found by experiments in flavoring other grasses with a 

 slight addition of benzoic acid in the form of an essence, previous to feeding them out to 

 milch cows, that the flavor of the best Philadelphia spring butter was thus imparted to the 

 butter made from them. 



A curious and &quot;beautiful peculiarity is exhibited in the seeds of this grass, by which they 

 are prevented from germinating in wet weather after approaching maturity, and thus becom 

 ing abortive. The husks of the blossom adhering to the seed when ripe, and the jointed awn by 

 its spiral contortions, when affected by the alternate moisture .and dryness of the atmosphere, 

 acts like levers to separate and lift it out from the calyx even before the grass is bent or lodged 

 and while the spike is still erect. If the hand is moistened and the seeds placed in it, they 

 will appear to move like insects, from the uncoiling of the spiral twist of the awns attached 

 to them. 



There are 923,200 seeds in a pound, and eight pounds in a bushel. It cannot be said to 

 belong to the grasses useful for general cultivation. 



Reed Canary Grass. (Phalaris anutdmaeea,] Generic characteristics: Spikelets 

 crowded in a dense or spiked panicle , perfect flower, flattish, with two neutral rudiments of 

 flowers, one on each side at its base, awnless, two shining paleae, closely inclosing the smooth 

 flattened grain; stamens tJiree. Specific description: Panicle very slightly branched, clus 

 tered, somewhat spreading when old, glumes wingless, rudimentary florets hairy, stem round, 

 smooth, erect, from two to seven feet high, leaves five or six in number, broad, lightish 

 green, acute, harsh, flat, ribbed, central rib the most prominent, roughish on both surfaces, 

 edges minutely toothed, smooth, striated sheaths. Flowers in July. Grows on wet grounds 

 by the sides of rivers and standing pools, best suited to somewhat tenacious soils. 



A beautiful variety of this species is the RIBBON or STRIPED GRASS of the gardens, familiar 

 to every one. It will bear cutting two or three times in a season, but if not cut early the foli 

 age is coarse. Cattle are not fond of it at any stage of its growth, but if cut early and well 

 cured, they will eat it in the winter if they can get nothing better. 



