MEADOW OAT GRASS. 125 



leaves flat and short ; found on rocky river-banks and 

 mountains, about one foot high. It flowers in July. 

 Of no agricultural value. 



Marsh Oat Grass (Trisetum palustre) is a species 

 found in low grounds, from New York to Illinois, and 

 southward, from two to three feet high, leaves flat and 

 short, spikelets yellowish-white, tinged green; panicle 

 long, narrow, loose, hairy ; spikelets flat. 



The Downy Oat Grass (Trisetum pubescens) is a 

 verj^ hardy perennial grass, naturalized on chalky soils, 

 and on such soils its leaves are covered with a coating 

 of downy hairs, which it loses when cultivated on bet- 

 ter lands. It is regarded as a good permanent pasture 

 grass, on account of its hardiness and its being but a 

 slight impoverisher of the soil, and yielding a larger 

 per cent, of bitter extractive than other grasses grown 

 on poor, light soils. It is, therefore, recommended 

 abroad as a prominent ingredient of mixtures for pas- 

 tures. It flowers early in July. Fig. 101 represents 

 this plant as it appears in blossom. 



50. AvENA. Oat. 



Spikelets three to many flowered, with an open, large, 

 difi'use panicle ; lower pale seven to eleven nerved, with 

 a long, usually twisted awn on the back ; stamens three ; 

 grain oblong, grooved on the side, usually hairy and free. 



Meadow Oat Grass (Avena jpror 

 tensis), Pig. 102, is a perennial grass, 

 native of the pastures of Great Bri- 

 tain, growing to the height of about 

 eighteen inches. It furnishes a hay 

 of medium quality. Flourishes best 

 on dry soils. Flowers in July. Figs. 

 103 and 104 represent the flowers 

 Fig. 103. Fig 104. ^£ ^j^jg grass magnified. 



