47 



17. A. perennans, Tuck. New England to Texas. 



18. A. scabra, Willd. New England to Alaska and southward. 

 A. scabra, var. csespitosa, Torr. Mountains of New York. 



19. A. Scouleri, Trin. California to Alaska. 



20. A. tenuis, Vasey. Oregon to California. 



21. A. varians, Trin. Oregon to California. 



22. A. verticillata, Vill. Texas to California. 



23. A. vireseens, H. B. K. California. 



24. A. vulgaris, With. Naturalized and cultivated. 



A. vulgaris, var. alba. (A. alba, Linn.) Naturalized and cul- 

 tivated. 

 A. vulgaris, var. stolonifera. (A. stolouifera, Linn.) Natural- 

 ized and cultivated. 

 Extensively cultivated and known as Red-top, Fine-top, Herd's 

 grass of Pennsylvania, Bent grass, &c. 



A perennial grass, growing 2 or 3 feet high from creeping root- 

 stocks, which interlace so as to make a very firm sod ; the culms are 

 upright, or sometimes decumbent at the base, smooth, round, rather 

 slender, and clothed with four or five leaves, which are flat, narrow, 

 and roughish, from 3 to 6 inches long, with smooth sheaths, and 

 generally truncate ligules. 



Agrontis alba, the Florin grass of Ireland, and Agrostis stolonifera 

 are usually considered synonymous, and are distinguished from A. 

 vulgaris by having a closer, more verticillated panicle, and with 

 longer and more acute ligules. 



Mr. J. G\ Gould says of Agrostis vulgaris : 



This is a favorite grass in wet, swampy meadows, where its interlacing, thick 

 roots consolidate the sward, making a firm matting which prevents the feet of cattle 

 from, poaching. It is generally considered a valuable grass in this country, though 

 by no means the best one. Cattle eat hay made from it with » relish, especially 

 when mixed with other grasses. As a pasture grass it is much valued by dairymen, 

 and in their opinion the butter would suffer much by its removal. 



Professor Phares, of Louisiana, says respecting this grass : • 

 It grows well on hill tops and sides, in ditches, gullies, and marshes, but de- 

 lights in moist bottom land. It is not injured by overflows, though somewhat pro- 

 longed.. It furnishes considerable grazing during warm spells in winter, and in 

 spring and summer an abundant supply of nutrition. Cut before maturing seed, it 

 makes good hay and a large quantity. It seems to grow taller in the Southern 

 States than it does farther north, and to make more and better hay and grazing. 



Mr. Flint says : 



It is a good permanent grass, standing our climate as well as any other, and con- 



