22 THE GRASSES OF MAINE. 



is of no agricultural value, but it probably affords pasturage for 

 sheep in the regions where it grows. 



10. AGROSTIS VULGARIS, Withering. 

 A-gros'-tis vul-ga'-ris. 



PLATE IV. 



Common Names. Red-Top, Herds-Grass (in Pennsylvania), 

 Fine-Top, Burden's Grass, Bent-Grass, Rhode Island Bent. 



Perennial. Stems mostly erect, sometimes bent at the base, 

 from one to two feet high or even more, growing from creeping 

 root-stocks, which interlace so as make a firm sod. The glumes 

 are nearly equal in size, and smooth, except along the keel, where 

 they are somewhat roughened. The flowering glume is awnless 

 and a little shorter than the lower glumes, while the palea is only 

 from one-half to three-fourths as long. 



Agrostis a/6a, L. is now regarded as a variety of the above. It 

 differs in having a closer panicle and a longer ligule. 



Agrostis vulgaris is one of the most extensively cultivated grasses 

 in the State. It does well on any soil, but succeeds best on moist, 

 rich land. If fed down close it is a good forage grass for pastures, 

 but it is very apt in poor, dry pastures to send up a fine, wiry stem 

 which the cattle avoid. 



An analysis of this grass made at the Department of Agriculture 

 at Washington, gave the following percentages : Ash 7.27, fat 2.87, 

 nitrogen-free extract 56.82, crude fiber 22.02, albuminoids 11.02. 

 This analysis was made of grass grown in the Department grounds 

 in good soil, and cut when it was in full bloom. Another analysis 

 made of grass grown in poorer soil at the same place gave, ash 

 5.84, fat 5.30, nitrogen-free extract 58.49, crude fiber 20.44, albu- 

 minoids 9.95. This shows that grass grown on a rich soil yields a 

 larger percentage of the albuminoids than that grown on poor soil. 

 This fact, together with that of an increased quantity of hay, is a 

 strong argument in favor of high cultivation for our grass lands. 



Genus CINNA, Linneus. 



Cin'-na. 

 Derivation unknown. 



Spikelets one-flowered, much flattened, in an open, spreading 

 panicle ; glumes narrow, acute, strongly keeled and beset with 



