THE JULY PAGEANT. a7 
and pampas of South America and the prairies of North 
America. 
About seven hundred species of grasses are found 
in the United States, and about seventy in Worcester 
County, some of which, of course, are cultivated for 
food of cattle. In the early history of this country, 
particularly in the northern states, while the settlements 
were sparse, the natural pasturage was abundant, and 
the natural meadows and marshes furnished a supply 
for winter feeding. But in the course of time, by the 
increase of population, the farms began to crowd each 
other, and the range for cattle was restricted. Then 
began the cultivation of the four principal grasses, 
herd’s grass (Phleum pratense, L.), orchard grass 
(Dactylis glomerata, L.), Kentucky blue grass (Poa 
pratensis, L.), and redtop (Agrostis alba, L.). We 
can realize the extent of the culture of these and other 
grasses when we are told that the haycrop of the 
United States in a single year amounts to more than 
forty-six million tons from thirty-eight million acres, 
and is worth in round numbers about four hundred 
million dollars; and this, in addition to the amount 
consumed by grazing animals. 
Besides the commoner forms of grasses, which we 
all readily recognize as such, there stands preéminent 
a group of cultivated grasses, through which this family 
contributes more to the sustenance of man and beast 
