84 FARMER'S BOOK O.F GRASSES 



The seeds weigh six pounds to the bushel. Two pounds 

 should be planted in mixtures. 



MILIUM. 



M. EFFUSUM, Wild Millet Grass. 



This foreigner has become naturalized northward, but I have 

 not found it in the south. It grows from three to six feet high 

 from a perennial root and has broad, flat, thin leaves, contain- 

 ing little nutritious matter. It is not desirable on the farm. 

 The closely allied genus 



AMPHICARPUM is found in the southern States where it is 

 native. There are two species A. purshii and A. Floridanum, 

 the latter a new species found by Mr. Chapman. Neither is of 

 sufficient importance to require further mention here. 



CYNOSURTJS. 



C. CRISTATUS, Crested Dog's Tail. 



This has been introduced into this country spar- 

 ingly ; and though nutritious it is not much esteemed, being 

 short and soon becoming hard. According to Way 100 parts 

 dried contained: albuminoids 11.08, fats 3.54, heat producers 

 52.64, Avoody fibre 26.36, ash 6.38. It is good in mixture for 

 sheep walks and lawns, ten or twelve pounds per acre of seed 

 being required. It grows on dry, sandy, calcareous uplands. 



PHALARIS. 



1. P. INTERMEDIA, American, or Stewart's Canary Grass. 



This is a beautiful native grass of the southern States, highly 

 esteemed, by the few who grow it, for winter and spring gra- 

 zing, soiling, and hay. The variety, (angusta) especially is 

 much larger and more valuable. It grows two or. three feet 

 high, and in swamps five feet, with many leaves four to ten in- 

 ches long and spike two to four inches long and somewhat re- 

 sembling the head of timothy. Stock like it well especially as 

 hay. Mr. D. Stewart of Louisiana having tested other grasses 

 prefers this for quantity and quality for winter and spring gra- 

 zing, and for soiling for milk cows. In some localities it is 

 called Gilbert's Belief grass and in others California timothy. 



There is much testimony from many parts of the south of the 

 same import ; and this grass is doubtless worthy of extended, 

 careful testing. Never having been analysed, we have not at 

 hand the means of estimating chemically its comparative nutri- 

 tive merits. An analysis would probably, as in many other 

 cases, verify the judgement of the intelligent farmers who have 

 grown this grass. Being a native, it is specially desirable to 



