132 YALE AGRICULTURAL LECTURES. 



nor nutritious to cattle. BrornxM ercctus was said to be the 

 only perennial species in the genus. Early mowing was recom 

 mended as a means of extirpating this family. Pheasants are 

 exceedingly fond of the seeds, and frequently pick off the 

 spikelets before the seeds are ripe, that they may enjoy the 

 much coveted luxury. 



Lolium perrenne, or Rye-grass, is still the favorite grass of 

 England. It occupies there the same place that timothy does 

 with us, and is probably better adapted to a wet climate like 

 England than to a dry one like ours. Sixty varieties are culti 

 vated in England of this one species. One of the most remark 

 able of these is the viviparous Rye-grass, which grows there 

 with great luxuriance. After midsummer it is strictly vivipa 

 rous, never producing either flowers or seeds, but young plants 

 from the glumes, which, when the original plant is supported, 

 will produce new plants from two to three inches in length. 



Lolium Italicum, Italian Rye-grass, is worth $2 69 when 

 timothy is worth $5. One hundred pounds of it give twenty- 

 four and a half pounds of dry hay. It is best adapted to lime 

 stone and light soils, and is one of the most desirable varieties 

 for irrigated meadows. 



Triticum repens, known as "quack," "twitch," or "dog" 

 grass, is very easily recognized by its spikelet of eight- or ten- 

 awned flowers placed flatwise toward the sachis. It is a terri 

 ble pest in alternate husbandry, growing in all sorts of soils, 

 and robbing the cultivated plants of the richest portion of their 

 food. In very dry seasons it may be killed by plowing it very 

 thoroughly in July, and sowing the ground with buckwheat. 

 Its culms (stalks) sometimes attain an altitude of three feet, 

 but it ordinarily stands two feet high. It forms a tolerably 

 good hay, and is much relished by the stock as a pasture grass. 

 It operates as an emetic on dogs ; and is very useful in binding 

 the sloping banks of railroads. 



Anthoxanthum odoratum, Sweet-scented vernal grass, is not 

 very valuable for hay or for pasture, as one hundred pounds of 



