The Grasses 291 



early in the fall alone, it will make a good hay crop 



the following summer, but does not last much longer. 



The true perennial rye grass, or English rye grass, 



is far more persistent than the Italian, and is truly 



perennial; but is inchned, like orchard grass, to grow in 



tussocks. 



Lolium temulentum,0T spiked darnel, is a worthless grass 



that has a reputation for being poisonous to stock, and 



should be eradicated. In some sections of the country, 



this has the name of cheat, and is the plant that some 



imagine the cereals to turn into. 



A^ropyrum daucum is the blue joint or 

 Agropyrum ttri .. , 



blue stem of the western praines where it 



is highly valued as a component of the prairie hay. It has 

 the same creeping and spreading habit of the Agropyrum 

 repens, or couch grass of the East. This last has always 

 been esteemed a pest and a weed, but it has value as a 

 hay grass, though, from its aggressive habit like the John- 

 son grass of the South, it should be treated as a weed and 

 not allowed to take possession of the land to the exclusion 

 of better grasses. 



Commonly known as wild oats. This grass is very 

 common in California, and it h2LS been thought by many 

 to be a degenerate form of the cultivated 

 oats. It makes good forage when cut at the 

 right stage, but may become a pest in grain fields. It is 

 hardly worthy of cultivation, but may be saved where it 

 grows naturally. 



We have given merely a sketch of the leading grasses 

 that come within the notice of cultivators in various parts 

 of the country. Some of these have a value m limited 



