308 



OHIO EXPERIMENT STATION: BULLETIN 175. 



Fig. 6. Bur-grass. 

 Is a tall perennial 



28 Italian Millet, Hungarian=grass (\)*Chactochloa Italica (L.) Scribn, 

 Hungarian grass is frequently cultivated in our area and is even more frequent- 

 ly an impurity in various seeds. While less prevalent and troublesome than the 

 common, yellow foxtail it is often regarded as a weed, and frequent inquiries 

 arise for this reason. Seeds about the same size as green foxtail — about 1-16 inch 

 long — smooth or but slightly marked, varying in color, often coming with entire 

 hull removed. 



29 Bur=grass, Sand=bur (A) Cenchrus tribuloides L. 

 This vile weed is illustrated in Fig. 6. It is of itself, 

 sufficiently illustrated for those who have been in close 

 contact with it. The stems are branched, about 1 foot 

 high, and the spikes are well armed. The one character- 

 istic feature is the many pointed, rigid bur enclosing the 

 seeds; this drops or is detached and carries the seed with 

 it. Bur-grass appears to be scattered over the entire 

 state in sandy soils. It is found to be a most pernicious 

 weed. Along the shores of Lake Erie I have noticed it 

 frequently. The spines are very hard and stiff. It is 

 worse than cockle-bur or bur-dock in its penetrating 

 powers. 



Fire and hand gathering- should go together in de- 

 stroying it. Waste, sandy areas harboring it should be 

 burned over annually. 



30 Reed Canary=grass (P) Phalaris arundinacea L. 

 with culms 3 to 5 feet in height and with somewhat copious leaves, often 3-5 inch 

 n width and almost afoot in length. It is characterized by a dense continuous 

 ipanicle which turns light in color, and by the production of abundant root- 

 stocks under ground. It is a native of rather marshy land and sometimes com- 

 plaints reach us by reason of its persistence in such soil. The cultivated ribbon 

 grass is a variety of this species. The Reed canary-grass may prove profitable 

 for cultivation owing to its productiveness although the production of viable seed 

 is quite uncertain. The seeds vary from lighter to darker, are elongated and 

 taper to point above, often downy and hairy above, while smooth and shining 

 at the base, about 1-8 inch in length. 



31 Canary=grass (A) * Phalaris Canariensis L. This grass, which in its na- 

 tive home produces bird seed, the common food of c*anary birds, is 



distinguished by a short, dense, oval spike. The scales upon the outside are 

 often whitish with conspicuous green faces. Its seeds frequently appear as an 

 impurity in other seeds; they are elongated, pointed, about 1-6 iuch long, smooth 



and shining. Mentioned herein because of the common occurrence of the seeds in 



commercial products. Not to be feared as a weed. 



32 Poverty =grass, Tripleawned= grass (P) Aristida dichotoma Michx. This 

 species, with other awned ones of the same genus, is occasionally met with in 

 borders and grass lands, especially in dry soil. The two erect and one divergent 

 awn at the tip of the grain sufficiently characterize these grasses for common 

 recognition. They occur somewhat infrequently but often attract interest by 

 reason of the characteristic awns. Like wild oat-grass it is best controlled 

 by improving soil conditions. 



33 Porcupine=grass (P) Stipa spartca Trin. This grows to the height of 2 

 to 4 feet and has an upright, smooth culm. It is not frequently, though occasion- 

 ally met with in our area. It is characterized by a long, stout, spiral awn, 

 usually twice bent, hence the illusion in the common name. Certain to attract 

 notice where persisting and capable of being annoying as a weed. 



