PERENNIAL FORAGE GRASSES 



I. CHARACTERS AND HABITS 



1. Designation. Under the above designation will occur a 

 discussion of certain perennial species of the grass family 

 (Gramineae) which are cultivated chiefly for hay, pasture, and 

 lawns, although sometimes they also may be used for holding 

 embankments, to prevent the shifting of sandy soils by the wind, 

 or to present the erosion of soils through rains. Those annual 

 species of the grass family used for forage are discussed else- 

 where in this volume under the title of ''Annual Forage 

 Plants," while the cereals are treated in a separate volume. 1 

 The grasses which are cultivated exclusively for ornamental 

 purpose will not be described. The use of the term grass to 

 apply to plants other than true grasses, although used for tlie 

 same purpose, will be avoided. 



2. Relationships. The grass family (Gramineae} is an im- 

 portant and rather isolated group of plants, being closely 

 related only to the sedges from which it differs in important 

 particulars. Of the 1,380 native and introduced species of 

 grasses in the United States, the seeds of about 50 species 

 have entered into commerce and may therefore be considered 

 cultivated species. (C. A. 8) The most important perennial 

 forage grasses in America belong to two of the 13 tribes of 

 the grass family namely, Agrostideae and Festuceae. To the 

 former belong timothy, redtop, and meadow foxtail ; while to 

 the latter belong orchard grass, the fescues, smooth brome 



1 "The Cereals in America." 



I 



