CHAPTER VIII 



GRASSES OF MINOR IMPORTANCE 



There are several kinds of grasses that are mentioneil 

 in books on forage plants and in seed catalogues, which 

 are of minor importance either because of the restricted 

 area in which they may be grown or because of the limited 

 use to which they are put. While these grasses are of 

 little importance commercially, it is necessary that the 

 farmer should be acquainted with them in order that 

 he may not be misled by the too sanguine opinion of the 

 writers in the farm journals, or by the flamboyant 

 advertisements in seed catalogues. 



RHODE ISLAND BENT AND CARPET BENT 



These two grasses are closely related to redtop but are 

 more delicate, the leaves being finer, the stems thinner 

 and not so tall, and the panicle smaller and more open. 

 Both grasses are suited to lawns and golf courses, as 

 they produce a fine close turf. They do not produce 

 rootstocks as does bluegrass but the stems are creeping 

 at the base, especially those of carpet bent. 



The bent grasses thrive on lime-poor soils in New 

 England and many parts of the North and Middle 

 Atlantic States, in fact, in about the same region that is 

 favorable for redtop. 



The method of preparation of a lawn with these grasses 

 is similar to that given under bluegrass. Success de- 



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