MEADOW SPEAR GRASS. 71 



length, with slender branches pressed close, and 

 subdivided ; spikelets small, of a green color. 

 Valves of the blossom smooth, having five raised 

 nerves on each valve ; leaves in two rows resembling 

 a fan somewhat rough ; Culm, a little compressed. 

 Hoot, perrermial. Native of America. 



Sinclair had a high opinion, of the hardy qualities 

 of this grass ; he states that in February 1814, after 

 .tin; severe winter preceding, this grass was perfectly 

 green and succulent, while not 01:0 species of irrass 

 out of nearly 300 different species that grew around 

 it remained in a healthy state, but were inferior and 

 more o;- less injured by the severity of the weather. 



The crops of this grass, he found by experiment at 

 the time of flowering, and at the time the seed was 

 ripe, to be equal in point of quantity and nutrient 

 quality a circumstance which did not occur in any 

 other grass in the experiments made at that time. 

 The nutritive matter contained in the latter math, is 

 likewise greater than in most other grasses. The 

 root leaves are produced on a shoot, and stand in 

 two rows after the manner of a fan. This shoot 

 which is formed by the union of the base leaves, is 

 very succulent, and contains a greater proportion of 

 nutritive matter than the leaves which accounts 

 for the superiority of the latter math in nutritive 

 matter. This grass is the Fowl meadow of many 

 farmers in Eastern states while Poa Serotina is called 

 by them, Bastard Fowl meadow. 



In Pennsylvania, this grass is very common in wet 

 .marshy grounds but it does not appear that any 

 attention is paid to its cultivation. It is useful as a 

 ^mixture on wet or moist pastures. 



