38 



ELEMENTS OF AGRICULTURE 



horizontal branch is called a stolon. The leaves of a stolon 

 that grows below ground are reduced to colorless scales. 

 Such a stolon is called a rootstock. The new stem is at first 

 a branch of the old one, but it often forms its own root- 

 system, becomes independent, and in turn gives rise to 

 stolons and culms (Fig. 15). The distance of the new culm 



Fio. 15. Blue grass showing the method of reproduction by underground 

 stems, or stolons 



from the old one determines whether the grass is spread- 

 ing, like blue grass, or tufted, like orchard grass and blue 

 joint grass. (See Figs. 91, 92, and 95.) 



It is probable that all grass plants would die after the 

 formation of seed were it not for this means of repro- 

 duction. The plant that grows from a node apparently 

 forms seed but once. But it may produce stolons and so 

 continue the stand of grass. Botanists have classified 



