80 KAKMKK'S BOOK OF GRASSES 



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rust. The oat is so well known that no discussion of it is need- 

 ed here. It is much superior to Indian corn for feeding hor- 

 ses and mules. I could not be induced to feed my own stock 

 mainly on Indian corn. The horse fed with oats has more 

 elasticity, spirit and bottom, lasts much longer and is capable of 

 more prolonged exertion. I consider three bushels (96 pounds) 

 of oats equivalent to two bushels (112 pounds) corn for horse 

 food, with many advantages over the latter. 



ARRHENATHERUM. 



A. AVENACETJM, Tall Oat Grass. 



This is called also Tall meadow oat grass, Evergreen grass in 

 Virginia and other southern States, and it is the Tall oat (A ve- 

 na elatior) of Linnaeus. It is closely related to the common 

 oats and has a beautiful open panicle, leaning slightly to one 

 side. "Spikelets two-flowered and a rudiment of a third, open ; 

 lowest flower staminate or sterile, with a long bent awn below 

 the middle of the back." Flint. 



It is widely naturalized and well adapted to a great variety 

 of soils. On sandy, or gravelly soils it succeeds admirably, 

 growing two or three feet high. On rich dry upland it grows 

 from five to seven feet high. It has an abundance of perennial, 

 long fibrous roots penetrating deeply in the soil, being therefore 

 less affected by drought or cold, and enabled to yield a large 

 quantity of foliage, winter and summer. These advantages ren- 

 der it one of the very best grasses for the south both for grazing, 

 being evergreen, and for hay, admitting of being cut twice a 

 year. It is probably the best winter grass that can be obtained. 

 It stands high in nutritive principles as will be seen by 



WAY'S ANALYSIS. 



Green. Dry. 

 Water, 72.65 



Albuminoids or flesh forming principles, 3.54 12.95 



Fatty matter, .87 3.19 



Heat producing principles, 11.21 38. .03 



Woody fibre, 9.37 34.24 



Mineral matter, or ash, 2.36 11.59 



100.00 100.00 



It will make twice as much hay as timothy and containing a 

 greater quantity albuminoids, and less of heat producing prin- 

 ciples, it is better adapted to the uses of the southern farmer, 

 while it exhausts the surface soil less and may be grazed indef- 

 initely except after mowing. To make good hay it must be 

 cut the instant it blooms and, after cut, must not be wet by dew 

 or rain which damages it greatly in quality and appearance. 



