74 GRASSES IN CERTAIN PLACES. 



2. TJie Aquatic or Water Grasses are those which elect to grow- 

 by the margins of rivers, in brooks or ditches, or around the 

 edges of ponds. With few exceptions they are of little value 

 agriculturally. Their presence is a sure indication of lack of 

 drainage. The following are examples : Phalaris arundinacea, L. 

 (Keed Canary-Grass). Phragmites communis, Trin. (Seed-Grass), 

 Gtyc&ria aquatica, Smith, (Reed Meadow-Grass), Glycerin fluitans 

 R. Br. (Floating Meadow-Grass), Leersiaoryzoides, Swartz, (Rice 

 Cut-Grass), Zizania aauatica,, L. and Z. miliacea, Michx. (Indian 

 Rice). 



3. The Marine or Sea Side Grasses, which are chiefly found 

 near salt water or the Great Lakes. They are generally very 

 coarse and distasteful to cattle. A great proportion of the plants 

 in these situations, which are cut and cured by the farmers of 

 New England and Long Island, and the Jersey coast, and known 

 as salt marsh hay, are not grasses, but belong to other families 

 of plants, such as the Juncacem and Cyperacece. The rhizomes 

 of some are very useful in preventing the water from washing 

 away the soil. Of marine grasses the following are examples : 

 Spartina juncea, Willd. (Rush Salt-Grass), Glyceria maritima, 

 Wahl. (Goose-grass), Psamma arenaria, R. & S. (Sea Mat-weed.) 



4. The Meadow or Pasture Grasses. Most of the grasses of 

 much value to agriculture belong to this section. They are the 

 leading grasses of our best meadows, pastures, and the grazing 

 lands of the prairies, and have received the most attention in 

 this work. 



Some of these are especially suited to, 



a. Upland pastures, thin soils. 



b. Poor, stiff soils, hungry clays. 



c. Rich, deep loams. 



d. Meadows on the banks of rivers, subject to perennial floods. 



e. Irrigated meadows, in which the water can be entirely con- 



