AND OTHER FORAGE PLANTS. 69 



two inches wide. The stems dying down in the fall, the peren- 

 nial roots send up in the spring a large growth of stems and 

 leaves. These while tender, the cattle eat, but quit as the 

 plants become harder ; leaving them to perfect their large ter- 

 minal panicles and load them with the large seeds for feeding 

 tlu i winter swarms of geese, ducks and other birds. 



This grass is found in swamps, along marshy streams and bor- 

 ders of ponds. It is found in both hemispheres. In Great 

 Britain it is used for thatch, and is preferred to slate; being 

 warmer in winter and cooler in summer. It might be used for 

 the same purpose in this country ; but owing to difference of 

 climatic influences, it would not probably last here as in Eng- 

 land for eighty years. 



A RUN DIN ARIA. 



I. A. GIGANTEA, or MACROSPERMA. Large Cane. 



This largest of our grasses has a hard, woody stem from one 

 half to three inches in diameter, and ten to forty feet high, erect 

 rounded, tapering from near the base, jointed every eight to 

 twelve inches for one half the length or more, then joints be- 

 coming shorter and smaller to the top ; leaves one to two inches 

 wide, persistent, on clustered spreading branches, which also are 

 jointed and appear the second year. On rich land, in the spring, 

 the young stems shoot up full size, ten or twenty feet high and 

 are crisp as asparagus ; and by some persons as much relished. 

 The stems would probably make nice pickles also and various 

 kinds of preserves by adding suitable flavors to the syrup. 



Hogs, cattle and other animals are fond of the young plants 

 and seeds. Turkies and other birds and many other animals fat- 

 ten on the seeds where abundant. The age at which this large 

 cane blooms has not been definitely decided. It probably va- 

 ries with the latitude, soil and surroundings, from ten to thirty 

 years. When the seeds mature the cane dies. Grazing animals 

 feed greedily on the leaves in winter, and find protection from 

 the driving rains and piercing " r inds under the dense roof of the 

 cane-brake or thicket. The stems are used for fishing rods, 

 scaffolds for drying cotton, with the joints punched out for blow- 

 guns and water pipes, pieces for pipe-stems and pipes, and splits 

 for baskets, mats and other purposes. 



2. A. TECTA, Small Cane. Some hold that this is the switch 

 cane and that it is a seedling of the preceding. Its habits are 

 different, however, from those of the large cane. It blooms 

 sometimes two or more consecutive years without dying down 

 to the root. Live stock like it as well as the large cane. Both 

 grow best on rich lands, hills or bottoms ; but they will grow 

 on thin clay soil, improve it and, if protected from stock rapid- 

 ly extend by sending out long roots with buds. 



