52 GRAMINEAE (GRASS FAMILY) 
and other hoed crops. But it is the most valuable of souther: 
grasses for lawns, meadows, and pastures, and on the levees, roa 
embankments, and stream sides it is the best thing possible to bin 
and hold the soil in place. For such purpose it is usually starte: 
by passing a quantity of the plants throug. 
a feed cutter and sowing the pieces, ever 
joint of which will probably strike roo 
and make a new plant. (Fig. 23.) 
It is small and low, the stems four inche 
to a foot tall, slender, slightly flattened 
very much branched, becoming stiff an 
wiry as they mature. Leaves smooth, flai 
stiff, light green, only two to four inche 
in length but very numerous. Sheath 
smooth, the ligule a ring of white hair 
The sheaths overlap and are crowded at th 
base of the stalks and along the stolons 
When the flowering stalks do appear, th 
heads are divided into four or five “ fingers’ 
which are shorter and thicker than thos 
of the real finger, or crab, grass (Digitaria) 
Means of control 
The plant is a lover of heat and sun 
light and will not thrive in the shade 
Therefore, when a meadow or a pastur 
is wanted for a different crop, it can b 
smothered out by a thick growth of talle 
plants, such as cow-peas, sorghum, c 
millet, which will at the same time yield 
Fic. 23. — Bermuda profitable crop of hay. In latitude wher 
nd aie Dacty- 4 “cold snap” in winter is sufficientl 
: , biting, the roots may be killed by expo: 
ing them to freeze, using a good, sharp, turning plow and mal 
ing the furrow as shallow as possible, for the roots are very near th 
surface. The hard, wiry, interlacing stems of this grass mak 
tilled crops infested with it very difficult of cultivation, requirin 
much hand labor with the hoe. But in most localities it leaves n 
