GRASSES AND FORAGE PLANTS. 223 



palet) with the inclosed stamens and pistil ; or they may be two or more flowered, there being 

 but one pair of glumes to each spikelet, whether it be one or many-flowered. 



Sheath That part of the leaf which clasps the stem ; it answers to the petiole or leaf 

 stalk. 



Spike When the flowers are sessile or without branches, as in Timothy grass (Phleum 

 pratense). 



Stamens The organs of the flower which contain the pollen, consisting of the filament 

 and the anthers. 



Stigma The extremity of the pistil which receives the pollen. 



Whorl A number of leaves or branches starting from one line on the stem. 



Grouping of Grasses. Grasses may be separated into five distinct groups, according 

 to their marked peculiarities of growth: 



FIRST, we find the bush or jungle grasses, or such as are not inclined to grow with other 

 species and form a close, matted turf or sward, such for example as the Tufted Hair Grass, 

 (Air a coespitosa,} Meadow Oat Grass, (Avena pratensis,} Tall Fescue Grass, (Festuca elatior,) 

 etc. 



A few other grasses, if sown alone, will assume somewhat the same form in tufts or 

 cushions, as Sheep s Fescure, (Festuca ovina,) Hard Fescue, (Festuca durinscula,) and Orchard 

 Grass, (Dadylis glomerata.) This peculiarity in the growth of the last three grasses is pre 

 vented by close pasturing, rolling, and proper cultivation. These operations improve their 

 natural tendencies, since, if left to themselves, they would be liable to assume the jungle 

 growth, such as is often seen in poor, thin pasture soils, a close, fine, matted sward being at 

 tained only by careful cultivation. 



SECOND in order, the aquatic or water grasses form another distinct group, among which 

 may be found the Reed Canary Grass, (Phalaris arundinacea,) Common Reed Grass, (Arundo 

 Phragmites,) &quot;Water Spear Grass (Poa aquatica,) Common Manna Grass (Poa fluitans,} Rice Grass, 

 (Leersia oryzoides,} Floating Foxtail, (Alopecurus gernculatus,) Wild Rice, (Lizania aquatica.) 

 These grasses grow mostly in water and are not cultivated generally as agricultural grasses 

 with the exception perhaps of the first. 



Wild rice grass is sometimes cultivated at the South, where it yields often very large 

 crops. Floating Foxtail is also cultivated in Europe. 



THIRD, Marsh or Salt Grasses, among which we find the Salt Reed Grass (Spartina 

 polystachyq,) Rush Salt Grass, (Spartina juncea,) Salt Marsh Grass, (Spartina stricta,) Black 

 Grass, (Juncus bulbosus,) Beach Grass, (Ammaphila arundinacea,} Goose Grass, (Poa maritima.) 



FOURTH in order, we have the field or pasture grasses. Under this head may be in 

 cluded a very large number of species. These grasses might be subdivided according to the soils 

 and situations which they naturally affect; for though a grass may sometimes be found or 

 placed in a soil which is not naturally fitted for it, yet no species will arrive at its most per 

 fect development on a soil not well adapted to it. Among these might be mentioned as ex 

 amples Timothy, (Phleum pratense,) Meadow Foxtail, (Alopecurus pratensis,) Common Spear 

 Grass, (Poa pratensis,~) Orchard Grass, (Dactylis glomerata,) Perennial Rye Grass, (Lolium 

 pernene,) Italian Rye Grass, (Lolium italicum,) Redtop, (Agrostis vulgaris,) Whitetop, (Agrostis 

 alba,) Downy Oat Grass, (Avena pubescens,) Meadow Soft Grass, (Holcus lanatus,) Meadow 

 Fescue, (Festuca pratensis,) Field Barley Grass, (Hordeum pratense,) Tall Oat Grass, (Arrhena- 

 therum avenaccum,) etc. 



FIFTH in order may be classed the annual weeds, which, though proper grasses, are often 

 very troublesome in cultivated grounds, either on account of their creeping, underground 

 stems, or their rapid and luxuriant growth. Thrifty farming is a ceaseless struggle against 

 these pests, and the farmer is generally careful to keep as clear as possible of them. Among 



