AND OTHER FORAGE PLANTS. 77 



enormous. But to obtain the best results, it must be abundant- 

 ly fertilized. This grass stands drought well and grows most 

 luxuriantly in our southern States. If not kept grazed or mow- 

 ed, however, the leaves cover the ground so deeply and densely, 

 that an excess of rain in very hot weather in the extreme south 

 causes it to rot suddenly, destroying even the roots. This I 

 have never seen or heard mentioned by any other person. But 

 it occurred on my own farm one season where I was reserving 

 a lot for seed. 



Way's analysis of this grass taken green from the field shows 

 100 parts to contain : water 75.61, albuminoids 2.45, fatty mat- 

 ters .80, heat producing principles 14.11, woody fibre 4.82, ash 

 2.21 ; or about 17.36 nutritive matters. This at first blush looks 

 little it is true, and less when compared as is usually done with 

 timothy cut* and analysed in the same condition, the latter 

 containing 29.21 of nutritive matters and 57.21 water; or 18.40 

 per cent less water and 11.85 more nutritive matters. In the 

 dried state, Way's analyses show that the Italian Rye grass con- 

 tained 71.19 per cent of nutritive matter and timothy only 68.26. 

 Animals are very fond of it for grazing, green soiling, or as 

 hay ; selecting it among other grasses. They are usually the 

 best judges of what is adapted to their own conditions and the 

 needs of their systems. And the effects this grass produces on 

 their general condition and upon the products of the dairy con- 

 firm the judgement of the cows. Now it is true that cut and 

 fed green Italian Rye grass contains much more water than tim- 

 othy. The cow decides that this is no disadvantage, as in con- 

 sequence she has to go seldomer to and take less water from the 

 pool. It is mixed intimately in the grass ready for her use. 

 The grass is tenderer, more easily masticated and digested and 

 the nutrition more completely assimilated, thus reducing waste 

 of muscular and nerve tissue and heat producing principles. 

 The total crop of timothy for the year is besides small compar- 

 ed with that of the Italian rye grass to the acre ; and but two 

 cuttings at most of timothy may be had, while the latter may be 

 cut many times. 



3. L. ANNUTJM, Annual Rye Grass, according to Way's anal- 

 ysis, contains in 100 parts, green : water 69.00, albuminoids 2.96, 

 fatty matters .69, heat producing principles 12.89, woody fibre 

 12.47, ash 1.99. Some have fancied this variety because it pro- 

 duces taller stems and more of them than some of the others. 

 But the proportion of foliage is less and the hay inferior. 



4. L. ARVENSE found in the south is a worthless species with 

 small stems only from six to twelve inches high. 



5. L. TEMULENTUM, Poison Rye Grass. This pernicious 

 weed is sometimes found in grain fields growing two feet high 

 with the characteristic flexuous spikelet bearing stem about a 

 foot long. It is very injurious to people or animals eating it 



