65 



Mr. James E. Webb, of Greensborougb, Hale County, Ala., writing 

 to the Department December 26, 1888, says: 



Recent experiments show that the Texas blue grass (Poa araclmifcra} flourishes 

 and grows here in west Alabama as finely as could be wished, and is likely ere long 

 to furnish us what we so much need, a line winter grass. With Texas blue crass 

 Melilotus and Bermuda grass, Alabama is a fine stock country. 



Mr. S. C. Tally, of Ellis County, Texas, Las sent specimens of this 

 grass. He says it is abundant there, bears heavy pasturing, and makes 

 a beautiful yard or lawn grass. 



Similar favorable accounts have been received from others. It is 

 likely to prove one of the most valuable grasses for the South and 

 Southwest. By means of its strong stolons or offshoots it multiplies 

 rapidly and makes a dense, permanent sod. It produces an abundance 

 of radical leaves which often become 2 feet in length, and those of the 

 culms are smooth and of good width, about 4 to 8 inches long 

 and 2 lines wide. The culms are 2 to 3 feet high, each with two or 

 three leaves, with long sheaths and blade, the upper leaf sometimes 

 reaching nearly to the top of the panicle. The ligule is round and 

 short, or lacerated when old. The panicle is from 3 to 8 inches in length, 

 rather narrow, and with short, erect branches of equal length, in clus- 

 ters of from three to five, the longest seldom 2 inches, most of them 

 short, some nearly sessile and profusely flowering to the base. The 

 spikelets usually contain about five flowers. 



In many cases there is a remarkable development of long, silky hairs 

 at the base of each flower, but sometimes these are quite absent. (Plate 

 73.) 



Poa compresaa (English Blue Grass; Wire Grass). 



This species has sometimes been confounded with the Kentucky blue 

 grass, from which it differs in its flattened, decumbent, wiry stems, its 

 shorter leaves and shorter, narrower, and more scanty panicle. It is 

 found in many old pastures, on dry banks, and in open woods. The 

 culms are hard and much flattened, 1 foot to 18 inches long, more or 

 less decumbent, and frequently bent^at the lower joints. The leaves 

 are scanty, smooth, short, and of a dark, bluish-green color. The pan 

 icle is short and contracted, 1 to 3'iuches long. Very contradictory 

 accounts have been given as to its agricultural value, some denouncing 

 it as worthless and others entertaining a good opinion of it. It thrives 

 well on clay or hard, trodden, and poor soils. 

 Hon. J. S. Gould says, respecting it: 



It is certain that cows that feed upon it both in pasture and in hay give more milk 

 and keep in better condition than when fed on any other grass. Horses fed on this 

 hay will do as well as when fed on Timothy hay and oats combined. 



These discrepant opinions may be due in part to having mistaken 

 the Poa pratensis for this grass. It is probably a nutritious grass, but 

 from its spare yield can. hardly obtain much favor for a hay crop. 

 (Plate 74.) 



3594 GR 5 



