DESCRIPTION OF IMPORTANT GRASS FORAGE PLANTS 



141 



two lower florets represented solely by a lemma with a long basally at- 

 tached awn. It flowers early in the season. 



The dried grass has a characteristic, sweet odor due to the presence 

 of cumarin which has been extracted from this and several other plants 

 and used in the manufacture of perfume called "new mown hay." Cows 

 feeding upon this grass have a 

 grassy flavor imparted to the 

 milk and the butter made from 

 the milk. It was early intro- 

 duced into America from Europe, 

 where it is native, as also in 

 western and north Asia and 

 northern Africa. 



Perennial Rye Grass (Lolium 

 percnne) and Italian Rye Grass 

 (L. italium) ( = L. multiflorum) 

 are both of them short-lived, 

 rapid-growing, perennial grasses 

 with a tufted habit due to the 

 intravaginal method of branch- 

 ing. Perennial rye grass may 

 persist two or more years, while 

 Italian rye grass rarely lasts more 

 than two years. The axis of in- 

 florescences of the perennial rye 

 grass is smooth with the several 

 flowered spikelets set solitarily in 

 alternate notches of the axis of 



inflorescence with the edges of 



FIG. 58. Perennial rye grass (Lolium 

 each Spikelet placed against the perenne). (After Ball, Carleton R.: Winter 



rachis, so that the inner glume Fora z e Cr P s f r the South > Farmers' Bulletin 



.... _,, i X 47. 1902. p. 21.) 



is lacking. The outer glume is 



rigid exceeding the lower florets '(Fig. 58). The lemma of each floret 

 is awnless, while in the Italian rye grass the lemma is provided with 

 an awn. The foliage of the Italian rye grass is more abundant and the 

 plant grows considerably taller. 



Sowing and Adaptation. Both species produce seed abundantly and 

 germination of commercial seed is about 75 per cent. There are 336,000 



