ITALIAN RYE GRASS. 161 



Loliiini pereiine, var. 1 . ^um. Italian Rye Grass.— This 

 is one of the most distinct, well known, snul viilnable of the per- 

 manent varieties of rye grass. It d ilTers from the species in having 

 short awns to the spikelets. It is larger and more vigorons, makes 

 a quicker growth, hut is only an annual, and of course cannot be 

 relied on for more than one season. Where the ground is favor- 

 able, and especially if irrigated, it produces immense crops of 

 valuable feed for live stock, yielding as high as seven and a half 

 tons of dry luiy per acre. For this crop it is cut four or five 

 times. The seeds are sown in autumn or in early spring at the 

 same rate as that of rye grass. 



As was said on a former page of this work, annual grasses, like 

 rye, ami rye grass, may often be induced to live for i wo years or 

 more if kept cut short and not allowed to seed. 



For most i arts of the Xorthern States, liowever, rye grass 

 perishes with the cold Avinters, and e.\(e]>t in some of the cooler 

 and more moist portions of our country, has jjroved of little 

 value. It will make little growth on dry ground. 



CYNonON, J'KKS. 



Spikjlets small, ]-(lo\vcrcd, sessile on oiu* side of a ilattish 

 ■achis, alternately ^-ranked, rachilla jointed above the empty 

 glumes, extended into a snuill stipe beyond the flower, ilower 

 perfect. The empty glumes persistent or deciduous, slender, 

 keeled, acute, or obtuse. The iloral ghnne broader than the 

 empty glumes, membranous, ciliate,, keeled, transversely i)ilose 

 near the apex, awnless. Palea s(!arccly shorter than tlu> floral 

 glume, hyaline, 2-nerved, luliate. Stamens ;i Styles distinct, 

 clothed with short hairs. Caryopsis oblong, smooth, iiu-luded 

 free. 



Ferennials, creeping or stoloniferous, with short, luirrow, flat 

 leaves. Spikes sleiuler. o-fl. digitate at the apex of the (!ulm, 

 straight, erect, or s;)rea(ling. 



Four species in warui regions. 



r 



