280 SWEET VERNAL GRASS. 



Wheat (Triticum sativum), as the food of civilized man, is the most 

 valuable of all grains. It has been so long and so extensively culti- 

 vated that it has sported into innumerable varieties, and its nativity is 

 unknown. 



Rice (Oryza sativa) is said to be the food of a majority of the 

 human race, being the staple diet of China and the East Indies. It 

 is largely cultivated in S. Carolina, Georgia and Florida, in lands 

 inundated for this purpose. 



Indian Rice, or Wild Rice, is the grain of Zizdnia aqudtica of river 

 marshes in Canada and the northern United States. 



Indian Corn (Zea mays) is a native of America, unknown to Euro- 

 peans until the discovery of the New World. The vast extent to which 

 it is now cultivated indicates its value. Among its many varieties are 

 Sweet Corn, Pop Corn, and Rice Corn. 



Sugar Cane (Sacchdrum ojficindrum) is an important member of this 

 Order, cultivated in warm climates. It is the source of nearly all the 

 sugar consumed by civilized nations. The juice is expressed from the 

 stalks and evaporated until crystallized. 



Various species of Sorghum have been cultivated for sugar with 

 poor success. 



Broom Corn is Sorghum saccJiardtum, a native of Arabia. Its use in 

 broom-making is well understood. 



Pampas Grass (Gynerium argenteum) is native of S. America, culti- 

 vated for its splendid plume-like panicles of silvery whiteness. 



Bamboo (Bamtriisa arundindcea), growing in all tropical lands, 

 attains a height of 50 to 80 feet, with a culm 10 inches thick trees of 

 exceeding beauty and grace. Bamboos are variously useful for "fish- 

 ing-rods, water-pipes, trellis-work, scaffolding, sails, umbrellas, hats, 

 shields, baskets, ropes, paper." 



Hay is the dried herbage of many grasses cut when in or just past 

 flowering. Some of the best for this purpose are the following : Tim- 

 othy (Phleum pratense) ; Redtop (Agrostis vulgdris) ; Bluejoint (Cala- 

 magrostia Canadensis} ; Orchard Grass (Ddctylis glomeratd) ; Spear or 

 June Grass (Poa pratensis) ; Fowl Meadow (Poa serotina) ; Fescue 

 (Festuca pratensis) ; Blue Grass (Poa compressd), Chess (Bromus secdle) ; 

 Salt Meadow Grass (Bryzopyrum spicdtum). 



Scientific Terms. Awns. Rudimentarv. Versatile anthers. 



