THE GRASSES, MEADOWS, ETC. 89 



other places on our eastern coasts. It has occasionally been 

 much lauded, but is a coarse rough grass at the north, and 

 seems not to be highly prized at the south. We have the 

 opinion of some intelligent men in the latter section, that it 

 is utterly worthless for any stock. 



BJUUCUDA GRASS. This is considered by Mr. Spalding of 

 Georgia, who examined them both critically from ^specimens 

 which he raised together, as the Doub grass of India, so 

 much commended by Sir William Jones, and so highly 

 prized by the Brahmins. It is by the agriculturists of the 

 south deemed an invaluable grass, yielding 4 or 5 tons per 

 acre on good meadow. Mr. Affleck of Mississippi states the 

 yield of 3 cuttings at "5 to 8 tons per acre on common mead- 

 ow, that it loses just 50 per cent, of its weight in drying, and 

 is consequently the hardest grass to cut. It is the most nu- 

 tritive grass known, and to the river planter it is invaluable, 

 There is not a levee on the banks of the Mississippi which 

 could resist for an hour the pressure and attrition of its fear- 

 ful flood but for their being bound together by this grass." 

 It loves a warm and moist, but not wet soil. 



GRAMA ("Za grama," or the "grass of grasses,' 5 ) is held in 

 the highest estimation by the Mexicans. It attains a medi- 

 um height, and is deemed the most nutritious of the natural 

 grasses in our south western frontier prairies, in California 

 and parts of Mexico. It grows on dry, hard, gravelly soils, on 

 side hills, the swells of the prairies, and the gentle elevations 

 in the vallies. The principal value is found in the numerous 

 seeds, which are retained in the pods with great tenacity 

 long after they are ripe, serving as a luxurious food for all 

 the graniverous beasts and fowls of the western region. 

 (Dr. Lyman.) 



THE BUFFALO GRASS is found intermixed with the Grama, 

 and seldom grows more than a few inches in height. It 

 forms a thick soft herbage, on which the traveller walks \vith 

 ease, and reposes when weary, with delight. It yields a 

 rich sustenace to countless herds of wild cattle, buffaloes, 

 deer, antelopes, &c. 



TCTRNILLO OR SCREW GRASS. This grows in great profu- 

 sion in the region of the two last grasses, but is most con- 

 spicuous on the table lands, and between the rivers and 

 creeks, the tall grass of the lower levels giving place to it as 

 the surface ascends. It is taller than the buffalo, with broad- 

 er leaves. It bears a seed stock 8 or 10 inches, surrounded 

 by a spiral shaped pod an inch long and one fourth of an inch 



