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Beard-grass (Oplismenus setarius) A slender perennial of the Gulf 

 States, with decumbent or creeping stems, and short and rather broad 

 leaves. It possesses no recognized agricultural value, but as it grows 

 naturally under the dense shade of trees it might be used for covering 

 the ground in shady places where other grasses will not thrive. 

 Creeping Grama (Bouteloua repens) A common grass in the vicin- 

 ity of Acapulco, Mexico, where it occurs on the highest mountains 

 and down their stony slopes to the water's edge. Greedily eaten by 

 stock. 



Deer-grass (Epicampes rigens) A stout, erect grass, with rigid, 

 wiry stems, and a very long, narrow, densely flowered, spike-like 

 panicle. This grass is not uncommon in Arizona, southern Cali- 

 fornia, and New Mexico, growing in sandy soil. It is regarded as one 

 of the best native dry-land grasses, and is closely grazed wherever 

 stock can get at it. Devil's Darning Needle (Stipa spartea) This 

 is also called porcupine grass, arrow grass, and devil's knitting- 

 needles, from the long, stiff, twisted awns inclosing the seed. The 

 seeds ripen early and drop to the ground, and later in the season 

 the grass may be easily recognized by the persistent, bleached culms 

 and empty glumes of the spreading panicle. Although somewhat 

 coarse the grass makes a very good hay, and forms a considerable 

 part of the wild prairie hay in Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, and 

 southern Dakota. It is called buffalo grass in the Saskatchewan 

 region. Ditch Millet (Paspalum scrobiculatum) A smooth annual 

 with branching, erect stems, 2 feet high or more. Widely distributed 

 throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of both hemispheres. 

 It is usually sown on the poorer kinds of soil. The straw is used for 

 fodder. (Duthie.) A variety of P. scrobiculatum, called "hureek" 

 in India, which is perhaps the Ghohana-grass, an Indian species 

 reputed poisonous, is said to render the milk of cows that graze upon 

 it narcotic and drastic. Downy Oat-grass (A vena pubescens) This 

 is a European grass, and has thence been introduced into this country. 

 It is occasionally found in the grain region of the Pacific Slope. The 

 soils best suited to the growth of this grass are sandy loams, upon 

 which it is valuable for early mowing and pasturage. Under favor- 

 able conditions it has produced 15,654 pounds of green fodder, or 

 5,870 pounds of hay, and 6,860 pounds of aftermath per acre. 



Early Bunch-grass (Eatonia obtusata) This is a native species, 

 growing usually in moist soil, and ranging from New York to Cali- 

 fornia and southward. A tender grass, readily eaten by stock, which, 

 when abundant, supplies considerable native forage of good equality. 



Fall Red-top (Triodia seslerioides) A stout, erect, native per- 

 ennial, 3 to 5 feet high, with long, flat leaves and an ample, spread- 

 ing, usually purple panicle 6 to 12 inches long, growing in dry or 

 sandy fields from southern New York southward and westward to 

 Missouri, blooming in August and September. Feather Bunch- 

 grass ( Stipa viridula) A rather slender grass, growing in the Rocky 

 Mountain region and on the foothills and mesas, from British Col- 

 umbia southward to Mexico and westward to the coast. On good 

 land, under irrigation, this grass attains the height of 3 feet or 



