CHAP. I. 



ITALIAN RYE GRASS. 



917 



a greater weight, it is the weight which serves in England as a guide 

 to the value of the seed. Rye-grass seed is also liable to contain seeds 

 of plantain, buttercup, and sorrel. On account of its low price, it runs 

 but little risk of adulteration. Nevertheless, the seed of soft brome is 

 sometimes sold in bulk as that of rye-grass, but the fraud is one which 

 is easy to discover. It used more often to happen that rye-grass seed 

 was itself substituted for an apparently similar but more expensive 

 seed, that of meadow fescue, for the sake of the extra profit. 



Some confusion has arisen in England through accepting American 

 opinions upon "rye-grass" and applying them to our Lolium perenne. 



I WNatsize. 



Fig. 418. A Spikelet 

 of Italian Rye Grass. 



Fig. 419. "Seed "of Lolium 

 Italicum (Italian Rye Grass). 



Front and side views, 

 magnified 7 diameters. 



As a matter of fact, the term " rye-grass " is, in the United States, 

 applied not only to Lolium, but to four or five species of the genus 

 Elymus, which differs in various essential characters from Lolium. 



ITALIAN RYE GRASS (Lolium italicum) is a larger and more robust 

 plant than perennial rye grass, and its florets (fig. 418) are invariably 

 awned, as may also be seen in the " seed " (fig. 419), whilst those of 

 perennial rye-grass very rarely carry awns. It is exclusive^ used 

 for alternate husbandry, for which purpose it scarcely has an equal. 

 On rich damp soils, and on almost any soils that can be irrigated with 

 liquid manure, Italian rye-grass yields enormous crops, equally valuable 

 both for soiling purposes and for hay. It may be grown alone, or in 

 association with cocksfoot, timothy, or broad clover. Dairy cows, 

 grazed upon a temporary ley of Italian rye-grass, give a great yield of 

 milk, the flavour of the butter or cheese from which^is excellent. This 

 species is never found in old pastures. 



DARNEL (Lolium temulentum, L.), is an occasional weed of corn- 

 fields. It is distinguished from the other rye grasses by the circum- 



