49 



It varies much in luxuriance of foliage and size of panicle, according 

 to the location. 



The cnlms are from 3 to 5 feet high, stout and hollow, hence in some places it is 

 called the small reed grass. The leaves are 1 foot or more long, flat, from a quarter 

 to nearly half an inch wide, and rouglmh ; the stem and sheaths smooth. 



The panicle is oblong in outline, open, and somewhat spreading, especially during 

 iloweriug ; it is from 4 to 6 or even 8 inches in length, and 2 or 3 inches in diameter, 

 of a purplish color ; the branches are mostly in fives at intervals of an inch or less. 

 These branches vary in length from 1 to 3 inches, the long ones flowering only toward 

 the extremity. The spikelets are short-stalked, the outer glumes about one and one- 

 half lines long, lanceolate and acute; the silky white hairs at the base of the flower- 

 ing glume are about as long as the glume ; those on the sterile pedicel also nearly as 

 long. The flowering glume is thin and delicate, about as long as the outer glmm-s. 

 and somewhat finely toothed at the apex, three to five-nerved, and bearing on the 

 back, below the middle, a delicate awn, reaching about to the point of the glume, and 

 not much stouter than the hairs. The proper palet is thin, oblong, and about two- 

 thirds the length of its glume. 



Mr. J. S. Gould says : 



Jt constitutes about one-third of the natural grasses on the Beaver Dam Meadows 

 of the Adiroudacks. It is certain that cattle relish it very much, both in its green 

 state and when made into hay, and it is equally certain that the farmers who have it 

 on their farms believe it to be one of the best grasses of their meadows. 



Professor Crozier, who spent some time in northwestern Iowa and 

 adjacent parts of Minnesota and Dakota, in studying the native grasses, 

 says : 



This is considered by some to produce the best hay for cattle of all the native 

 grasses. It is very leafy, and stands remarkably thick on the ground. The seed 

 ripens early in July, but the leaves remain green until winter. It is probably 

 hardly equal to some of the upland grassss in quality, but it gives a larger yield, and 

 is undoubtedly worthy of cultivation. It is usually found upon the margins of ponds; 

 it will thrive, however, on land that is only slightly moist, and often occurs along 

 the banks of roadside ditches. On rather low land which has been broken and 

 allowed to go back it frequently comes in, and after a few years occupies the land to 

 the exclusion of all other vegetation. 



(Plate 51.) 



Calamagrostis (Deyeuxia) sylvatica (Bunch Grass). 



A coarse perennial grass, growing in large tufts, usually in sandy 

 ground in the Eocky Mountains at various altitudes, also in California, 

 Oregon, and British America. It furnishes an abundant coarse forage 

 in the regions where it is found. The culms are from 1 to 2 feet high, 

 erect, rigid, and leafy ; the radical leaves are frequently as long as the 

 culm, two or three lines wide, sometimes flat, but generally involute 

 and rigid. The culm leaves are from 3 to 6 or 8 inches long, rigid 

 and rough. The panicle is narrow and spike-like, 3 to 5 inches long, 

 erect, rather dense, sometimes interrupted below, aud varying from pair 

 green to purple. (Plate 52.) 



Calamagrostis longifolia. 



This grass grows on the sandy plains of the interior from British America to Ari- 

 zona, and on the borders of the Great Lakes. It has strong, running rootstocks, 111 

 3594 GR 4 



