CHAPTER XVIII 



GRASSES FOR PASTURES, MEADOWS AND LAWNS 



In taking up a brief study of the plants under this head, 

 we must keep cleariy in mind what true grasses look Uke. 

 Plants of other families, as for example, the pea, or clover 

 family, are used extensively for pastures, meadows and 

 lawns ; but they are not true grasses and will not be studied 

 in this chapter. 



162. Characteristics of All the Grasses. — We have 

 studied in different places in the preceding chapters the 

 characteristics of the grasses, which are monocotyledons. 

 Let us now bring them together that we may always know 

 a true grass when we see it. 



The roots of the grasses are fibrous, springing from the 

 base of the stem as the first, or temporary root is withering 

 away and finally forming a mass just beneath the surface 

 of the ground, as explained in Exercise 27. 



The stems are round and usually hollow, though they 

 are sometimes filled with pith as is the cornstalk. They 

 are made up of nodes and internodes ; that is, prominent 

 joints with spaces between the joints. 



The leaves envelop the stem by a sheath at the lower 

 portion, are parallel-veined and their upper parts are 

 relatively narrow and lance-shaped. They are arranged 

 alternately on the stem, one springing from each node. 



The flowers are greenish in color, inconspicuous, and 

 appear usually at the tops of the stems. We have studied 

 a typical grass flower in Exercise 35. 

 Q 225 



