ORNAMENTAL GRASSES 417 



should best be protected with boxes or barrels placed over the 

 plants and filled with straw or leaves. 



Propagation. There are two common methods of increasing 

 this plant, namely, from seed, the usual method, and division of 

 the clumps, which is a more satisfactory method. Dig up a large 

 clump in the Fall; chop it up into pieces small enough to go easily 

 into 6-inch pots. Use stiff loam and pot firmly, standing the plants 

 under benches; water occasionally until the beginning of February, 

 when the plants should be removed from the pots and divided up 

 into the smallest pieces, saving the new roots as much as possible. 

 Shorten the leaves back to half their length and put in the sand bed 

 for a couple of weeks to start fresh roots; then place in 3- or 4-inch 

 pots, and they will form well-furnished plants in a short time. 



CYPERUS. Several species are commonly cultivated. C. 

 alternifolius, the Umbrella Plant, is useful either as a house plant 

 or for planting out in Summer. Its propagation is more quickly 

 accomplished by leaves than from seed, in the following manner: 

 Get a piece of zinc, or as many pieces as may be wanted, of a size, 

 say, 2 feet square; turn up the sides 3 inches; beat the sides forming 

 the corners together and bend them to one side so as to hold water, 

 fill with sand and saturate with water. Get some mature growths, 

 cut off the stalk and shorten the leaves; insert in the sand and keep 

 thoroughly wet. In a warm house they will send up numerous rooted 

 growths in a short time, which, as they require it, should be potted 

 and grown on. Young plants such as these can very easily be 

 divided. The variegated form does not propagate as readily by 

 this method; it is apt to come green. Division suits it better. 



DACTYLIS (Variegated Orchard Grass). D. glomerata var. 

 variegata grows in waste places in the Eastern States. The 

 green leaved plants are weedy in growth, very floriferous and are 

 never grown in gardens. The variegated form seldom produces 

 many flowers, and these, when they appear, should be removed. 

 It is one of our best low growing variegated Grasses, much used in 

 some places for bedding. 



Propagation. It is readily propagated by division. 



ELYMUS (Lyme Grass). E. glaucus is a very ornamental 

 species with bluish green leaves finely striated on the upper surfaces. 

 It reaches a height of about 2 feet. The habit is inclined to be 

 spreading. In early Spring the growth is about a foot high when 

 most other ornamental Grasses are just showing. 



Propagation. It is propagated by division. 



