MEADOW FOXTAIL — MEXICAN MUHLENBEKGIA. 155 



in 100 parts, when green, of flesh formers, 2.44; fatty mat- 

 ter, .52; heaters, 8.59. When dried the same grass yielded 

 of flesh-formers, 12.32; fatty matter, 2.92; heaters, 43.12 in 

 100 parts. Wolff's and Knop's analysis of this grass may 

 be seen on page 36. 



MEXICAN MUHLENBEBGIA — (MuhlenbergiaMevicana.) 



This grass has an erect stem, two to three feet high, with a great 

 many branches; panicles lateral and contracted, branches closely spiked, 

 in clusters, green and purplish; glumes pointed, awnless and unequal. 

 It flowers in July and is perennial. 



This grass thrives best in bottoms, where it grows freely. 

 It is slower in maturing than most grasses, and hence, fills a 

 vacuum caused by the seeding and dying out of the earlier 

 grasses. It is eaten with avidity by cattle, and is a good 

 grass in its place. From its wonderful strength, and its 

 rapidly spreading roots, it is not advisable to allow it to be 

 sown or planted in gardens or fields. 



NIMBLE WIIiIj.~(MuMenbergia diffusa.) 



A species of the preceding; has stems diffusely branched, from eigh 

 to eighteen inches high; panicles slender and contracted; glumes mm 

 ute; awns nearly twice as long as the palea. It flowers in August and 

 September, and is a perennial. 



It is hardly necessary to do more than mention this 

 grass, which forms, in many sections the bulk of the pas- 

 tures of the woods. It does not grow in fields, but in 

 woods, where, in the fall, after rains have set it, it carpets 

 the earth with living green. Various opinions are enter- 

 tained as to its nutritive qualities, Some farmers contend 

 that their stock are fond of it, and, on a sufficient range, 

 cattle, horses and sheep will go into the winter sleek and 

 fat from this vigorous grass. Others regard it as well- 

 nigh worthless. 



It freely propagates itself in all woods where the cover- 

 ing of leaves is not so great as to exclude the rays of the 

 sun from the soil. Like other grasses, it does best on good 



