186 THE GRASSES OF TENNESSEE. 



MEADOW FESCUE-RANDALL GRASS-EVERGREEN 



GRASS. (Festuca pratensis.) 



Its panicle is nearly erect, branched close, inclined to one side; 

 spikelets linear; from five to ten cylindrical flowers; leaves linear, of a 

 glassy green, pointed, striated, rough on the edges; stem round, smooth, 

 from two to six feet high; roots creeping. Perennial, flint. 



This grass has received some attention in different parts 

 of the State, and has met with a warm reception from those 

 testing it. It ripens its seed long before any other grass, 

 and, consequently, affords a very early 

 nip to cattle. It has been raised under 

 various names, in Virginia, as "Randall 

 Grass," in North Carolina as "Evergreen 

 Grass." In the mountain lands of Vir- 

 ginia, a writer says : "The variety of for- 

 age best adapted to sheep-grazing on the 

 mountain lands is the "Randall," a tall, 

 coarse grass, growing freely on the rocky 

 soil to a hight of six feet, remaining green 

 and affording fine herbage all the win- 

 ter." 



Mr. James Taylor, writing to the Ag- 

 ricultural Bureau from North Carolina, 

 says : 



" The Evergreen Grass is very good for 

 pasturing through the fall and winter. I 

 have no knowledge of its origin. It will 

 do best when sown on dry land, and is 

 well adapted to sheep. It grows well on 

 rocky soil, to the hight of four or five 

 feet when ripe, continuing green in the 

 spring, and affording fine herbage through- 

 out the winter. It is best to sow in the spring with oats. 

 A peck of well-cleaned seed is enough for an acre, or a 

 bushel in the chaff. It ripens about the first of June, or a 

 little before rye harvest, and is cut with scythe and cradle 

 as we cut rye If sown in the spring this grass will not 



