534 



COMMON GRASSES OF THE FARM 



An extensive genus ; practically all the species belonging to 

 it are useless to the farmer. 



Fiorin : Marsh Bent - Grass 

 {Agrostis alba L.). — A perennial, 

 from 6 inches to 2 feet high, of very 

 variable appearance and habit; met 

 with upon almost all soils. On drier 

 arable lands it is as troublesome a 

 pest as true ' couch,' with which it 

 is often confused, and in pastures 

 where it often abounds, and takes 

 the place of good grasses, it should 

 be treated as a weed. 



A variety with trailing stems and 

 B rhizomes, which take root at the 

 nodes, is the plant generally re- 

 ferred to as Fiorin, and named 

 Agrostis stolonifera Koch. On 

 reclaimed bogland, wet meadows, 

 near river banks, and on moist 

 soils generally, this variety grows 

 luxuriantly and crowds out al- 



FiGi74.--^,Pani'deof Fiorin or Marsh most all Other competitors. A 

 Bent-Orass (natural size.) _ ' _ 



B, Spikelet (t»rice natural size). spCcial featlUe of this graSS is 



its late autumn growth and power of remaining green until 

 the following spring. Under some circumstances it may possibly 

 be worthy of cultivation, but stock refuse it when they can 

 obtain anything better, and in consideration of the fact that 

 the commercial seed of this variety is rarely, if ever, true to 

 name, it is best avoided altogether by the farmer. 



Fine Bent-Grass : Purple Bent : Black Couch. {A. vulgaris 

 L.). — A perennial almost indistinguishable from the preceding 

 species. It is equally useless. Both plants frequently have 

 purple and reddish stems and leaf-sheaths. Purple bent usually 



