222 



THE AMERICAN 



OUR CULTIVATED GRASSES. 



The grasses which in this country are cnlti- 

 vated for pasturage and hay-making, are chiefly 

 Blue-grass {Poa pratensis, L.), also called June- 

 grass, Red-top (Agrostis vulgarU, Wiih.), and 

 Timothy, or Herd's-grass {Phleum pratense, L.) 

 Several other species are occasionally found in 

 lawns and orchards, and an annual species called 

 Millet (Seiaria italica, Kunth), is somewhat 

 extensively grown for hay or fodder. 



In some portions of the country Blue-grass 

 has acquired an extended reputation as a pasture 

 grass. In Kentucky, Oh'o, and some other 

 Western States, it is considei'ed the most valu- 

 able of all grasses for pasturage. There has been 

 much discussion during several years past as to 

 the real botanical name of Ihe Kentucky Blue- 

 grass, some contending that it was the Poa 

 compressa, which is also called Blue-grass, and 

 which, in fact, is often found growing with Poa 

 p)ratensis. The latter has an upright, round 

 stem, or culm, while the former has a reclining 

 and flattened stem, "We think there is little 

 doubt among botanists that the June-grass of 

 the Northern States is also the Blue-grass of 

 Kentucky, varied only by differences of soil and 

 climate. The genus Poa includes a number of 

 other species, which have more or less value as 

 forage plants, the most important of which is, 

 probably the Fowl Meadow-grass {Poa serotina, 

 Ehrh.) This is found as a native grass in many 

 parts of the country, forming, indeed, a con- 

 siderable proportion of the grass of sloughs and 

 wet meadows in Northern Illinois and Wiscon- 

 sin. Though somewhat coarse, it is a very 

 productive and useful grass. 



Ked-top (_Agrostis vulgaris, With.) is exten- 

 sively employed in the Northern States as a 

 pasture grass, especially on low, damp grounds. 

 In Pennsylvania it is called Herd's-grass, which 

 name in the Northern States is applied to quite 

 a different grass. Red-top is native both in this 

 country and in England, where it is called Bent- 

 grass. Two other nearly-related species, the 

 White Bent-grass {Agrostis alba, L.), and the 

 Brown Bent-grass, {Agrostis canina, L.) are 

 occasionally found in meadows mixed with 

 common Red-top, and they also are native in 

 some localities in this country. All the species 

 of Agrostis have one-flowered spikelets, in 

 open panicles. Red-top has its name from the 

 reddish color of the flowers and flower branches, 

 which color is very peculiar and distinctive 

 when a large quantity, or a field, is seen at once. 

 The stems are erect, round and smooth, and the 

 roots creeping. 



As a grass for liay-making the Herd's-grass, 

 or Timothy {Phleum pratense, L.), is more ex- 

 tensively employed than any other. Its solid 

 stems, and tall, vigorous growth, give a large 

 product of highly nutritive hay. Its flowers ai'c 

 arranged in a comjiact, cylindrical spike, usually 

 three or four inches long. The spikelels are 

 single-flowered, of two stiff'-pointed glume.';, 

 including two much smaller and shorter palcts. 

 This grass has been introduced from Europe, 

 "where it is native, and also extensively cultivated 

 under the name of Cat's-tail grass. 



On the high mountains of New Hampshire, 

 and also on the Rocky Mountains, we have a 

 native species closely related to the Timothy, 

 viz. : Phleic'iH alpinum, L., or what might be 

 called the Alpine Timothy. In Europe there 

 are also several other ."species belonging to this 

 genus, none of which, however, have been cul- 

 tivated. 



THE HONEY LOCUST. 



( GUditschia triacaiithos , L . ) 



The Honey Locust is a well known tree, prin- 

 cipally of the Western and Southern States. It 

 is one of our largest forest trees, the trunk fre- 

 quently attaining a diameter of three or four 

 feet ; but, from its habit of early dividing up into 

 large branches, it does not attain as great height 

 as many smaller trees. It usually forms a broad, 

 open head, with a beautiful light-green foliage, 

 which waves gracefully in the smimier breeze. 



Its trunk and limbs are usually beset with 

 numerous horrible spiues, or thorns, from three 

 to six inches long, each of which has commonly 

 two branches, whence the specific name triacan- 

 thos, or three-thorned. These thorns, however, 

 are not constant, as trees are occasionally found 

 which are entirely smooth. Some have supposed 

 these were a different species, but they are in all 

 other respects like the thorny kind, and the seed 

 of either will produce thorn\- and thoruless trees. 



The tavorite locality of the Honey Locust is in 

 bottom lands, or following the course of small 

 streams. It belongs to the Pea family (Natural 

 Order Leguminosm) , but not to the same section 

 as the Black Locust, which has true papilliou- 

 aceous flowers. Its relationship in the Pea 

 family would not be suspected from the appeai-- 

 ance of the flowers, but its pinnate leaves and 

 long pods, or true legaimes, easily identify it. 



In its flowering habit it is polygamous — that 

 is, the fertile and infertile flowers are either 

 separate or variously mixed on the same tree. 

 The flowers are small and inconspicuous, in short 

 spikes, proceeding from the axils of the leaves . 



