10 BULLETIN 692^ U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTTJRE. 



tically imlimited quantities of the seed could be gathered iu New 

 England and New York, and it is hoped that the conditions existing 

 will bring about its commercial reestablishment. Even in competi- 

 tion with South German mixed bent there would continue to be a 

 large demand for Rhode Island bent, so that the industry of gathering 

 the seed should be permanent. 



Rhode Island bent only rarely produces creeping stolons or run- 

 ners, and these when present seldom exceed 6 inches in length. Single 

 plants of Rhode Island bent rarely form patches of turf more than 

 6 inches in diameter. 



Inasmuch as it seems advisable to drop the name Agrostis capil- 

 laris L., the name to be used should be the oldest one that undoubt- 

 edly belongs to Rhode Island bent. This is Agrostis tenuis vSib- 

 thorp, 1794, while Agrostis vulgaris With, dates from 1796. It is 

 desirable that seedsmen use the name Agrostis tenuis in connection 

 with Rhode Island bent, as Agrostis vulgaris has too commonly but 

 erroneously been associated with redtop. 



Rhode Island bent makes a very fine turf, dark green in color, and 

 is apparently a pure strain in this respect. The seed may contain a 

 small percentage of redtop, as this coarser grass is not rare in some 

 New England pastures, but the percentage of redtop is seldom 

 enough to be noticeable in the resultant turf. 



From the practical standpomt of growing fine turf there is little 

 reason to prefer any other bent to Rhode Island bent. The latter 

 grass is so abundant in New England and New York that prac- 

 tically hmitless quantities of seed could be gathered. With care, 

 fields containing an appreciable quantity of redtop may be avoided, 

 as when in bloom redtop is easily distinguished by its taller habit, 

 broader leaves, coai-ser panicle, and longer ligule. 



In view of these facts, it seems highly desirable that American 

 seedsmen handle Rhode Island bent seed on its merits. There seems 

 to be no reason why the New England seed can not be gathered at 

 least as cheaply and probably more so than the South German mixed 

 bent. It is not unlikely that special seed-gathering machines may be 

 adapted or devised to further this industry. At present a vast quan- 

 tity of this seed goes to waste, as even on well-gi-azed pastures the 

 seed crop is little diminished. 



COLONIAL BENT. 



During the last few years seed from New Zealand has been put on 

 the market under the names colonial bent and browntop. Turf and 

 plants grown from this seed show it to be identical with Rhode Island 

 bent. 



