154 



THE GRASSES OP TENNESSEE. 



CHAPTER XIII. 



M 



MEADOW FOXTAIL — MEXICAN MUHLENBERGIA — NIMBLE 

 WILL — HAIR GEAS8 — BLACK OAT OB PRAIRIE GRASS — 

 BERMUDA GRASS — HAIRY MUSKIT — POINTED SLENDER 

 GRASS — ANNUAL SPEAR GRASS — WOOD MEADOW GRASS 



MEADOW FOXTAIL.— (Alopecwrus pratemis.) 



This grass lias an erect, smooth stem, one to two feet high, with 

 swelling sheaths ; spikes cylindrical, obtuse, equalling the sharp, cone- 

 like glumes; awns twisted and twice the length of 

 the blossom. It flowers in May and June. The spikes 

 immll, are not so long or large as timothy, but, except as 

 to size, it very closely resembles it. It has only one 

 palea, and the head is soft, while timothy is rough. 



What the blue grass is to Tennessee the 

 Foxtail is to the Northern States. There it is 

 regularly sown, and the seeds command a high 

 price. When young, and, in fact, up to blos- 

 soming, it is eaten with relish by stock, es- 

 pecially sheep, but after it forms seed it is of 

 but little service in the support of anything. 

 It is never sown here; in fact it is rather re- 

 garded in the light of a pest by most farmers, 

 as it forms one of the grasses to be specially 

 contended against in the cultivation of field 

 crops. It grows without care, almost every- 

 where, especially on abandoned fields, and 

 generally, with broom-grass, roots out other 

 vegetation. In the fall, after it has seeded, it 

 makes a very luxuriant aftermath. The nu- 

 tritive value of this grass will surprise many 

 farmers who have always looked upon it with 

 i disfavor. According to Way's analysis, it has 



