THE GRASSES OF MAINE. 5 



grass and clover were covered to the depth of from two inches to 

 two and one-half inches, none of the plants came up, and when cov- 

 ered to the depth of one inch, only about half came up, but the 

 greatest number came up when the seeds were covered one-fourth of 

 an inch or less ; yet how mam r farmers sow their seed along with 

 the grain and go over it two or three times with a common tooth 

 harrow ! No wonder they are not able to secure a good catch. It 

 is not an easy matter at the present time to secure pure seed, that 

 which is free from the seeds of white-weed, buttercups, cone flowers, 

 and a host of others too common in all our fields. We are not 

 always sure that the seed offered for sale may not have been kept 

 so long as to have lost its vitalit}'. The seeds of most of the grasses 

 are of little value if more than two years old. 



It is more than probable that many of our Maine grasses not now 

 in cultivation would prove to be as valuable, or more so, than some 

 now made use of, and that from these wild grasses species might be 

 selected, which would be adapted to the various conditions existing 

 in our fields and pastures, and which would yield far better results 

 than are now obtained. When a farmer observes an unknown grass 

 growing luxuriantly in any part of his field, he should endeavor to 

 find out what that grass is, what is known about it, whether it is of 

 value as a forage, and if it proves to be valuable he should save the 

 seed unless he can find it for sale and cultivate it in that part of 

 his field and others of a similar condition. It may sometimes be 

 necessary to make a critical study of a grass to find out what it is 

 and what may be known about it, and to aid in this work was the 

 design of the writer in preparing this paper. A common lens, cost- 

 ing from sevent}*-five cents to a dollar, will prove of great assistance 

 in the determination of the species. 



STRUCTURE OF THE GRASSES. 



A grass is composed of root, stem, leaves and flowers. The roots 

 usually consist of small fibers, which in some species are exceed- 

 ingly flexible, often extending to great distances in search of food, 

 and branching into innumerable rootlets, the ends of which are the 

 newest parts and composed of those cells which absorb the food for 

 the plant. Besides the roots, many grasses, as witch grass, have 

 underground stems (Rhizoma or root-stock), by means of which 

 they rapidly and extensively propagate themselves. These under- 



