172 THE AMERICAN FARMER. 



This grass is common in low, rich soils where the water is either standing or sluggish, 

 and is not unfrequently produced by transplanting the roots of the striped grass into suitable 

 coils. In one instance within my knowledge, it came in and produced an exceedingly heavy 

 crop, simply from roots of ribbon grass which had been dug up from a garden and thrown 

 into the brook to get them out of the way. Several other instances of a similar nature have 

 also come to my notice. One farmer has propagated it extensively in his wet meadows by 

 forcing the ripe seed panicles into the mud with his feet. As the stripe of the ribbon grass is 

 only accidental, dependent on location and soil, it constitutes only a variety of the reed canary 

 grass, and loses the stripe when transferred to a wet and muddy soil. 



The panicles of this grass, if allowed to stand after the time of flowering, become filled 

 with ergot, or long, black spurs, issuing from between the glumes, and occupying the place 

 of grain. This, if there were no other reason, would be sufficient to determine that it should 

 be cut at or before the time of flowering. I have never seen rye worse affected than my 

 specimens of this grass are. The effects of this mysterious disease are well known. The 

 noxious power it exerts on the system of animals which receive even a small portion of it, is 

 oftentimes dreadful, producing most horrible gangrenes, rotting of the extremities, internal 

 tortures and agonizing death; it has been known to slough and kill not a few human beings 

 who have accidentally or inadvertently eaten grain or flour infected with it. 



The variety called striped grass, (colorata,) is exceedingly hardy, and may be propagated 

 to any extent by dividing and transplanting the roots. In moist soil it spreads rapidly and 

 forms a thick mass of fodder which might be repeatedly cut without injury, though it is of 

 little value for feeding stock. 



The Common Canary Grass, (Phalaris ccmariensis,) is cultivated in gardens, and to 

 some extent in fields and waste places, for the sake of the seed for the canary bird. It 

 has a spiked, oval panicle, glumes wing-keeled; rudimentary flowers smooth and half the 

 length of the perfect one. Flowers in July and August. 



Millet Grass, (Mi-Ilium effusum,) is found growing commonly in moist, shady woods, 

 mountain meadows, and on the borders of streams. Panicle widely diffuse, compound, 

 glumes ovate, very obtuse, leaves broad and flat, thin, root perennial, flower oblong. Flow 

 ers in June. Introduced. Of no value for cultivation, the foliage possessing but slight nutri 

 tive qualities. The seeds are sought by birds. It will thrive transplanted to open places. 



Feather Grass, (Leptochloa mucronata,) is an annual grass growing in many of 

 the Southern States. It reaches the height of from two to three feet, the flowers being- 

 arranged on numerous slender spikes in a long-panicled raceme. They are very minute, from 

 three to four in a spikelet, the uppermost one usually imperfect; the glumes pointed. When 

 full grown it is a beautiful grass, the panicles on thrifty specimens sometimes becoming two 

 feet long, the slender branches arranged along the main stem in a feathery-like manner, from 

 whence it takes its name. It grows in fields and pastures, and as it is less affected with 

 drought than some other varieties, affords a small amount of grazing during the hot months, 

 when the regular pasture grasses are parched and dry. It is not considered of much agri 

 cultural value. 



Water Grass. (Paspalum laeve. ) There are a large number of species of this genus 

 which are to all appearance so nearly alike as to be scarcely distinguishable. They resemble 

 in their flower structure the Panicum, from which they chiefly differ in the want of a lower 

 glume. The flowers are spiked or racemed in two or more rows on one side of a flattened 

 stalk, while the spikelets are one-flowered, or with the rudiment of a second. The flowers 

 are ovate or roundish. 



Mr. Phares, of Mississippi, says of this: &quot; It is not called water grass because it grows 

 in and about water, for it does not, but probably because it is very succulent. It is trouble- 



