84 



Culms erect, 2 to 3 feet high, without running root-stocks. The 

 leaves are narrowly linear, 3 to 6 inches long and two to three lines 

 wide, the sheaths long, smooth, and striate, the ligules long. The 

 panicle varies with the size of the plant from 5 to 10 or 12 inches 

 long and 1 to 3 inches wide, and lax ; the branches mostly in fives 

 or more numerous, nearly erect, from 1 to 4 inches long, the longer 

 ones subdivided and flowering above the middle. There are some 

 mountain forms or varieties in which the culms are 1 foot or less in 

 height and the panicle greatly reduced. The spikelets are one to 

 two' lines long, two to five flowered, on short pedicels. The outer 

 glumes are about one line long and sharp-pointed. The flowering 

 glumes are rather obtuse, the lateral nerves not prominent, slightly 

 pubescent on the margins below, and somewhat webby at the base. 



This species is most common in the Northern States, particularly 

 in New England, .New York, and westward to Wisconsin, and also 

 in reduced forms in all mountainous districts. 



Mr. J. S. Gould, of New York, says : 



I have found it to grow on almost every kind of soil ; but it attains the greatest 

 perfection in a rich moist one. It is one of those grasses that thrive best when 

 combined with others ; it will not make a superior turf of itself, but it adds much 

 to the value of a sward from its nutritive qualities and powers of early and late 

 growth. As it perfects an abundance of seed it may be easily propagated. 



Professor Phares, of Mississippi, says : 



. In portions of the Western States this grass has, for some years, been very highly 

 recommended. In the Eastern States it has been cultivated for one hundred and 

 fifty years or longer and valued highly. Jared Elliott, in 1749, spoke of it as grow- 

 ing tall and thick, making a more soft and pliable hay than timothy and better 

 adapted for pressing and shipping for use of horses on shipboard. He says it 

 makes a thick, abundant growth on land more moist than is adapted to common 

 upland grasses, and may be mowed any time from June to October, as it never be- 

 comes so coarse and hard but the stalk is sweet and tender and eaten without waste. 

 It has not been sufficiently cultivated in the Southern States, so far as I am aware, to 

 know how long a meadow set with it rnay remain profitable. It is, however, worthy 

 of extended trial. 



Mr. Charles L. Flint says : 



It grows abundantly in almost every part of New England, especially where it has 

 been introduced and cultivated in suitable ground, such as the borders of rivers and 

 intervals occasionally flooded. It never grows so coarse or hard but that the stalk 

 is sweet and tender, and eaten without waste . It is easily made into hay, and is a 

 nutritive and valuable grass. 



37. P. scabrella. (Atropis scabrella, Thuri.) California. 



38. P. stenantha, Trin. Oregon to Alaska. 



