KENTUCKY BLUE GRASS. 41 



CHAPTER VIII. 



SMOOTH STALKED POA OK MEADOW GRASS, JUNE: 



GRASS, KENTUCKY BLUE GRASS, COMMON SPEAR 



GRASS. 



Poa Pratensis Specific Character. 



Culms sending off copious running root stocks 

 from the base, and the sheaths smooth; ligule short 

 and blunt; panicle short pyramidal; spikelets 3 to 5 

 flowered; crowded, and most of them almost sessile 

 on the branches, ovate lanceolate or ovate; lower 

 palet 5 nerved, hairy along the margins as well as 

 the keel. Observations: This grass is distinguished 

 from the Poa Trivalis rough stalked meadow grass 

 by its strong creeping roots, sheaths of the straw 

 being smooth; whereas in the Poa Trivalis the 

 sheaths are rough to the touch, the sheath scale is 

 blunt, in the Poa Trivalis it is pointed, the leaves 

 are blunt, those of the Poa Trivalis are acuminate. 

 Flowers in June and ripens seeds in July. 

 WAY'S ANALYSIS. 



100 parts as taken green from the field June llth. 



Water .. 07.14 



Albuminous or flesh forming principles 3.41 



Fatty matters. . Sfr 



Heat producing principles, starch, gum, sugar, etc. . . 14.15 



Woody fibre 12.49 



Mineral matter or ash 1.95 



100.00 

 . 100 parts of the grass dried at 212 Fahr. 



Albuminous or flesh forming principles 10.35 



Fatty matter 2.63 



Heat producing principles, starch, sugar, gum, etc. .. 43.0& 



