12 BULLETIN 545, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Slender reed-grass is a rank growing perennial from 1 J to 4 feet tall. 

 The culms, which are usually very brittle, are bent like a knee at the 

 lower joints. Like the sheaths, the leaf blades are rough, and are 

 especially broad and very flat (Plate VII). The panicle is long, often 

 exceeding 8 inches, open, and usually drooping. 



The favorite habitat of slender reed-grass is in sparsely vegetated 

 forests which admit enough light for the undergrowth to succeed. 

 It is closely restricted to shaded situations with well-watered soils. 



The inherent tendency toward shade is shown by the unusually 

 wide and flat leaf blades as well as the absence of basal leaves, while 

 the high water requirements are shown, among other things, by the 

 meager development of the root system, the absence of special con- 

 trivances to retard transpiration, and the restriction of the species 

 to wet soils. Growing in situations very similar to mountain timo- 

 thy, it has virtually the same water requirements. Failure to re- 

 cover from wilting took place in the mucky soil in which this species 

 grows when the moisture content in the case of one specimen was 

 13.5 per cent and in another 16 per cent. 



The flower stalks were produced from July 5 to August 5, July 10 

 to August 15, and from July 5 to August 10 in 1907, 1908, and 1909, 

 respectively. Compared with 'the earliest appearance of the flower 

 stalks, the seed readied maturity at a relatively late date, the earliest 

 being about the last week in August. The crop matured evenly, 

 however, with approximately 15 days intervening between the time 

 the earliest seed matured and the major portion ripened. 



The length of time required for a seed crop to ripen in nearly all 

 cases seems to influence the vitality of the resulting crop. An even 

 and comparatively short maturing period usually indicates, for a 

 given locality, seed of higher vitality than that which ripens at 

 wholly different dates. The average germination of the seed crop 

 of slender reed-grass for the three seasons was 86.8, and the minimum 

 yearly average, 79 per cent, obtained in 1907. 



Since slender reed-grass does not enjoy an especially wide zonal 

 distribution, and is closely restricted to moist situations, it supplies 

 but limited forage. So far as palatability is concerned, however, it 

 ranks high, and since it remains green and tender throughout nearly 

 the entire summer grazing season, the herbage is closely consumed. 

 Owing to the moist condition of its habitat in the early part of the 

 season, the plant is seldom grazed by sheep until August. 



ALPINE REDTOP. 

 (Agrostis rossae.) 



The genus Agrostis is composed of about 100 species, most of which 

 are found in the North Temperate Zone. 1 As indicated by its com- 



i Ilackel, Edward, "The True Grasses," p. Ill, 1890. 



