OTHER PERENNIAL GRASSES 217 



of the United States for meadow fescue seed; and when more 

 is grown than is needed here, the surplus is often exported. 

 When grown for the seed, it is cut with the grain binder 

 and bound in sheaths. The production of the seed varies 

 from 3 to 25 bushels per acre, the average being about 

 10 or 12. The weight per bushel varies from 12 pounds in 

 seed that is not well cleaned, to as much as 25 pounds in 

 well-cleaned seed. 



208. Cultural methods. — Meadow fescue seed is com- 

 monly low in vitality, the standard of germination being 

 75 per cent, although it frequently goes much lower than 

 this. When seeded alone, from 30 to 40 pounds per acre 

 is used, the amount depending upon the cleanness of the 

 seed and upon its vitality. It is not often sown alone, 

 except when grown for seed. More often it is seeded 

 with other gi'asses for hay or pasture, and when seeded 

 this way, from 2 to 10 pounds per acre is used, depending 

 upon the kind of mixture desired. 



BERMUDA-GRASS 



Bermuda-grass was introduced into this country in 

 the early part of the nineteenth century. In all prob- 

 ability it did not come from the Bermuda Islands, as its 

 name would indicate, there being evidence that it was 

 shipped in with some foreign merchandise through the 

 West Indies. 



209. Description. — Bermuda-grass, Capriola dactylon, 

 is a strong perennial with a dense stoloniferous root system, 

 composed of both above and below ground stolons. It 

 therefore quickly forms a thick, firm sod. The culms, 

 which are usually short, produce only a few leaves, but 

 basal leaves grow in abundance. The inflorescence is 

 made up of from three to five one-sided spikes, from 1 to 



