74 
Professor Phares, of Mississippi, says: 
This grass is also called Bromus Schraderi, Bromus Willdenovii, Ceratochloa unioloides, 
~ and Festuca unioloides. It is an annual winter grass. It varies in the time of start- 
ing growth. I have seen it ready for mowing the first of October, and furnish fre- 
quent cuttings till April. Again, it may not start before January nor be ready to 
cut till February. This depends on the moisture and depression of temperature of 
the fall, the seeds germinating only at a low temperature. When once started, its 
growth after the successive cuttings or grazings is very rapid. It is tender, very 
sweet, and stock eat it greedily. It makes also a good hay. It produces an im- 
mense quantity of leaves. On loose soil some of it may be pulled up by animals 
grazing it. 
(Plate 85.) 
Bromus ciliatus. 
A tall, coarse species, much addicted to rocky woodlands, but of no 
agricultural value. 
LOLIUM. c 
Spikelets several-flowered, solitary on each joint of the continuous rhachis of the 
simple spike, placed edgewise against the rhachis, the glume wanting on the inside, 
the outer empty glume nearly as long as, or longer than, the spikelets; flowering 
glume rounded on the back, not keeled; palet shorter, two-keeled. 
Lolium perenne (Italian Rye Grass). 
A perennial grass, introduced from Europe. The culms are 2 to 3 feet high, very 
leafy, and terminating in a loose, spike-like panicle, 6 inches or more in length. 
The spikelets are arranged alternately on the axis, placed edgewise; that is, with one 
edge of the flat spikelet applied to the main stem at short distances, so that there 
may be twenty or more in the panicle. The spikelets are one-half to three-fourths 
of an inch Jong; generally seven to eleven-flowered. The inner empty glume is gen-— 
erally wanting, so that, except on the terminal spikelets, only one glume is apparent, 
which is half or more than half the length of the spikelet, narrowly lanceolate, and 
acute. The general appearance of the panicle is like that of couch grass (Agropyrum 
repens). ‘The flowering glumes are thickish, obscurely nerved, rather hispid, acutely 
pointed, or, in the variety Italicum, with a rather long awn. The proper palets are 
similar to the flowering glumes, and of nearly equal length. 
An intelligent writer whom we have frequently quoted, says, respect- 
ing this grass: 
It occupies the same place in Great Britain that Timothy does with us, and is there 
esteemed, on the whole, higher than any other species of grass, and is called rye grass 
or ray grass. Of all the varieties of Lolium perenne which are known, that called 
Italicum is by far the most valuable. Its spikelets are conspicuously bearded, the 
flowers being all terminated by long, slender awns, which character distinguishes it 
very easily from Lolium perenne. Its name (Italian rye grass) is derived from the fact 
that its native habitat is on the plains of Lombardy, where broad and extensive plains 
of pasture land are frequently inundated by the mountain streams which intersect 
them. It is mainly adapted to Tare meadows, and in these it is undoubtedly 
superior to any other grass. 
Professor Phares says: 
This grass stands drought well and grows most luxuriantly in our Southern States. 
If not kept grazed or mowed, however, the leaves cover the ground so deeply and 
densely that an excess of rainin very hot weather in the extreme South causes it 
