GRASSES. 1159 



Reed Canary Grass has a panicle very slightly' branched, clus- 

 tered, somewhat spreading when old, but not so much generally as 

 appears in Fig. 35. Flowers in July. It grows on wet grounds by 

 the sides of rivers and standing pools. There are about five hun- 

 dred thousand grains, or seeds, of this grass to the pound. It may 

 be gathered and sown with winter grain, to be ploughed in as a 

 green manuring, 



A beautiful variety of this species is the ribion or striped grass 

 of the gardens, familiar to every one. The reed canary grass will 

 bear cutting two or three ,times in a season, but if not cut early, the 

 foliage is coarse. Cattle are not very fond of it at any stage of its 

 growth ; but if cut early and well cured, they will eat it in the win- 

 ter, if they can get nothing better. 



Crested Dog's-tail, Fig. 2. — This grass is rarely found here, 

 but has been introduced and cultivated to some extent by way of 

 experiment. Its spikes are simple, linear ; spikelets awnless ; stems 

 one foot high, stiff, smooth ; root perennial, fibrous, and tufted. 

 Flowers in July. It is said to be a valuable, permanent pasture 

 grass , J but cattle seldom eat it after it is ripe, on account of its wiry 

 stems. On dry, hard soils and hills pastured with sheep, it would- 

 doubtless be of value for its hardiness. At the time of flowering it 

 is tender and nutritious. 



Common Millet. — Flowers in large, open, nodding panicles ; 

 leaves lance-shaped, broad; stem one to two feet high ; native 6i 

 Turkey. It is shown in Fig. 12: Many varieties of, millet have at 

 times been cultivated in this country, and its culture is gaining 

 favor every year. Millet is one of the best crops we have for cut- 

 ting and feeding green for soiling purposes, since its yield is large, 

 its luxuriant leaves juicy and tender, and much relished by milch 

 cows and other stock. , ^ 



The seed is rich in nutritive qualities, but it is very seldom 

 ground or used for flour, though it is; said to exceed all other kinds 

 of meal or flour in nutritive elements. An acre, Well cultivated, 

 will yield from sixty to seventy bushels of seed. Cut in the blos- 

 som> as it should be, for feeding to cattle, the seed is comparatively 

 valueless. If allowed to ripen, its seed, the stalk is no more nutri- 

 tious, probably, than oat straw. Millet, requites good, soil, and is 

 rather an exhausting crop, but yields a produce valuable in propor- 

 tion to the richness of the soil, and care and expense of cultivation. 



Hungarian Grass, Hungarian Millet, has been cultivated to 

 considerable extent in this country, from seed received from France 



