THE WILD WHEAT OP PALESTINE 305 



the following statement. " The earliest discharge of pol- 

 len (in the Graminese) begins in the height of summer 

 between 4 and 5 a. m. and the plants which take part in it 

 thus early are the Meadow-grass (Poa), Koeleria, and 

 Avena, elatior. A little later between 5 and 6 o'clock 

 comes the turn of the Quaking-grass (Briza media) and 

 Aira cwspiiosa, and of Wheat and Barley (Triticwm, 

 Hordeum). Between 6 and 7 pollination occurs in Eye 

 and in a great number of different Grasses which grow 

 in meadows, such as Cock's-foot-grass (Dactylis), Andro- 

 pogoUj the Brome-grasses (Brachypodium) and many 

 species of Fescue (Festuca). Between 7 and 8 o'clock 

 the pollen is liberated from Oats of the Trisetum group, 

 from the Fox-tail-grass (Alopecurus) , Timothy Grass 

 (Phleum) and the Sweet Vernal Grass (Anthoxanthum) . 

 An interval now intervenes, at least among the indigenous 

 Grasses. Of exotic species which are cultivated in gar- 

 dens the following discharge their pollen in the course of 

 the forenoon, viz., the Millets (Panicum milliaceum and 

 Sorghum) between 8 and 9 o'clock; Setaria, Italica and 

 the Brazilian Pampas-grass (Gynerium argenteum) be- 

 tween 9 and 10 o'clock. Toward noon indigenous 

 Grasses come again into play. About 11 o'clock pollina- 

 tion takes place in most species of the Bent-grass genus 

 (Agrostis) and between 12 and 1 in Melic-grass (Melica), 

 Molinia, Mat-grass (Nardus), Elymus, Sclerochloa, and 

 several species of Calamogrosiis. In the course of the 

 afternoon the process takes place in a few isolated species 

 as, for instance, in some Brome-grasses at 2 o'clock, in 

 a few species of Oat (Avena) at 3, in Agropyrum at 4, 

 and in Aira flexuosa between 5 and 6. It is worthy of 

 note that Soft-grass {Holcus), under favorable atmos- 

 pheric conditions, opens its glumes, pushes forth its 

 anthers, and liberates pollen twice a day, once in the 



