32 GRAMINEAE (GRASS FAMILY) 



Range: All cultivated regions of the world. 

 Habitat: All soils; invades any crop. 



The seeds of this weed are among the most frequent impurities 

 of other grass seeds and of clover and grain. It was probably in 

 such company that it came to us from Europe, with the early set- 

 tlers. Once in the soil, it retains its vitality for years, springing up 

 whenever brought near enough to surface 

 warmth and light. Cattle will eat it when 

 young but it soon becomes woody and 

 worthless. Birds and poultry, especially 

 turkeys, are very fond of the seeds, which 

 they strip from the stalks. (Fig. 9.) 



Culms branching from the base, growing 

 from fibrous and clustered roots, usually 

 one to four feet tall though when started 

 late, and pressed for time, Foxtail matures 

 seed when no more than three inches high ; 

 stalks compressed at the base, sometimes 

 decumbent. Sheaths loose, compressed, 

 the lower ones often tinged with red; 

 blades three to six inches long, nearly a 

 half-inch wide, flat, smooth, and hanging 

 with a twist. Spikes two to four inches 

 long, the spikelets closely crowded, one- 

 seeded, subtended by an involucral cluster 

 of six to ten upwardly barbed, brownish 

 yellow bristles much longer than the 

 spikelets. Seeds with palea and finely 

 wrinkled lemma both adherent, yellowish 



FIG. 9. -Yellow Foxtail brOWn ' lon S OV id ' ab Ut a tenth f an 

 (Setaria glauca). X i- inch in length. 



Means of control 



In grain fields, stubbles should be given surface cultivation; 

 or, if the soil is dry enough, burning over will destroy the seeds that 

 have fallen on the ground. In cultivated crops tillage should be 

 continued very late, in order to prevent the development and dis- 



