181 



very leafy. It supplies good grazing and is not so troublesome as the 

 Andropogon Virginicus. When cut young it makes a very good hay. It 

 is not worthy of cultivation but it answers a very useful purpose in the 

 highway pastures in every part of the State. Samuel M. Ramsey, of 

 Warren county, tried it for butter-making as against some of the domes- 

 ticated grasses and claimed that it made butter of better flavor and quality, 

 and more of it than herd's grass or blue grass. 



Andropogon argyraeus (silver beard grass.) This is a native grass, 

 found in East Tennessee among the mountains and on the borders of 

 woods. It is rarer than either of the other species mentioned and proba- 

 bly is of no importance as a grazing grass. It is easily recognized by its 

 dense silky and silvery white flowers in September. 



Andropogon macrourus (cluster flowered beard grass). This grows 

 on wet or swampy lands and very much resembles -the next to be men- 



Setaria viridis. 



tioned. It is found at intervals all over the State. It is not so valuable 

 for grazing as the broom sedge,, though cattle will eat it in early spring. 



Andropogon Virginicus (broom sedge). This grass is very palatable 

 to stock when young and tender but totally worthless when its culms be- 

 gin to shoot up. It is the best known grass in the State and grows in 

 almost every locality. It is a great enemy to meadows and will soon take 

 possession of them if not resisted vigorously. It is the grass that takes 

 possession of all "old fields" in every part of the State. While furnishing 

 good grazing in early spring for all classes of stock, during the summer 

 after its stems shoot up the grass becomes so tough and indigestible that 

 no stock will touch it. After frost it turns brown and is an eyesore to 

 every landscape where it makes its appearance. Its only value consists 

 in its capacity to furnish early grazing and its agency in the stopping of 



