GRASSES OF MINOR IMPORTANCE 93 



pends much upon using seed of good quality. From 60 

 to 100 pounds of seed should be used per acre. The 

 seed should be examined and the proportion of seed and 

 chaff noted. If the proportion of chaff is large, the 

 amount of seed used should be increased. In the south- 

 ern portion of the range, the seeding should be done in 

 the early fall; in the north, it should be done in the 

 spring. 



Rhode Island bent is a common and well-established 

 grass in New England and in many places along the coast 

 to the south. The seed is now rarely to be found upon 

 the market, but the U. S. Department of Agriculture is 

 encouraging its production and use. The seed that is 

 now sold by seedsmen under the name of Rhode Island 

 bent is imported from South Germany and consists 

 mostly of carpet bent mixed with varying quantities 

 of another kind of bent grass called velvet bent. The 

 presence of velvet bent in samples of Rhode Island bent 

 shows that it comes from Germany. This South German 

 mixed bent is a satisfactory grass for lawns. Not infre- 

 quently seedsmen have sold ordinary redtop under the 

 name of Rhode Island bent. As redtop is not well 

 suited to lawns the substitution is harmful. 



Description. Rhode Island bent is closely related to 

 redtop from which it differs in being lower and more 

 delicate, with a smaller open rather few-flowered panicle. 

 The stems are usually only about a foot high and the 

 blades are narrower than those of redtop. An important 

 difference is in the shape of the ligule. In redtop, the 

 ligule is acute, as much as 1/4 inch long. In Rhode 

 Island bent the ligule is blunt, often not more than I/I2 



