22 



E. J. Bedding, Atlanta, Ga.: 



Grows in Southwestern Georgia, but is not much esteemed. 



Mrs. J. A. Blancbard, Umatilla, Orange County, Central Florida: 



A permanent evergreen bunch grass, which on some of our flat moist lands makes 

 a good deal of the grass, aud affords abundant and nutritious pasturage. It was set 

 in our yard by the former owner and is a constant grower, winter and summer, if not 

 allowed to seed. 



James C. Neal, M. D., Archer, Alachua County, Northern Florida: 



One of our best summer grasses, grows everywhere and is well liked by cattle. 



J. G. Knapp, State statistical agent, Limona, Hillsborough County, 

 Southern Florida : 



This grass is rapidly spreading through the county, and forms a winter pasture. 

 It grows with Bermuda, and the two give green pasture through the year. ' Stock re- 

 fuse to eat the seed stems, and these should be cut down after it has ripened its seeds. 

 It is perfectly hardy, and grows during the driest season, yielding about the same 

 amount of hay or pasture as Bermuda, and about as nutritious. 



Velvet Grass, Holcus lanatus, PI. VIII. 



Also known as Meadow Soft Grass, Velvet Lawn Grass, Velvet Mesquit 

 Grass, &c. Introduced from Europe, and naturalized in many parts of 

 the United States. It makes a striking and beautiful appearance, but 

 stock are not very fond of it, either green or cured. It is a perennial, 

 but not very strongly rooted, and does not spread from the root as do 

 most perennial grasses. It seeds abundantly, and is generally propa- 

 gated by seed, though sometimes by dividing the plants. It prefers 

 low land, but does very well even on sandy upland, and its chief value 

 is in being able to grow on land too poor for other grasses. The seed 

 has been in market many years, but it has come into cultivation very 

 slowly, and it is not generally held in very high esteem as an agricultural 

 grass, either in this country or in Europe. Some speak well of it, how- 

 ever, aud it has frequently been sent to the Department from the South 

 with strong recommendations for its productiveness. 

 C. Menelas, Savannah, Ga. : 



Known almost all over the South as yielding more than orchard grass, but for some 

 reason only grown where nature has planted it. 



Mrs. J. W. Bryan, Dillon, Northwestern Georgia : 



My meadows and ditches are full of it, though it is not sown here. It is very val- 

 uable for pasture, aud gives a very early and heavy yield of hay. 



L. S. Nicholson, Crumly, Northeastern Alabama : 



This grass has been grown on a farm I own for about ten years. It does best on 

 rich moist laud, but grows fairly well on poor, dry, sandy land, where other, and, I 

 must say, better grasses fail. 



It grows from two to three feet high and makes apparently sufficient hay, but very 

 light and chaffy and of inferior quality. It appears to be hardy and will withstand 

 drought very well. The grass is right pretty when growing, and nice for pastures, 

 but we have other grasses so much better that can generally be grown on land that 

 this would occupy that I shall vote against it for all purposes. 



