76 fe ae 
. 
‘ 
It has an abundance of foliage, and sends up a flowering culm 2 to 3 
feet high, which is terminated by a close, narrow spike of flowers from 
3 to 6inches long. This spike consists of a succession of closely set 
spikelets, one at each joint of the axis, and placed flatwise with the side 
against the stalk. Each spikelet contains several (three to eight) flow- 
ers, with a pair of nearly equal and opposite three to five-nerved glumes 
at the base. 
Hon. J. S. Gould says: 
The farmers of the United States unite in one continuous how] of execration against 
this grass, and it seems strange, when every man’s hand is against it, that it is not 
exterminated. Yet, we could never really satisfy ourselves that its presence in 
meadows and pastures was such an unmitigated curse. In lands where alternate 
husbandry is practiced 1t must be admitted to be an evil of great maguitude. Its 
hardiness is such, and its rapidity of growth is so great, that it springs up much more 
rapidly than any other crop that can be planted, andchokes it. Still, it has many 
virtues. Itis perfectly cosmopolitan in its habits. it is found in all sorts of soil and 
climates. Its creeping roots are succulent and very nutritive, and are greedily de- 
voured by horses and cows. 
(Plate 88.) 
Agropyrum tenerum. 
This grass prevails in the Rocky Mountain region from New Mexico 
to Oregon, and has been commonly called a variety of Agropyrum re- 
pens, from which it differs essentially in wanting the running root-stalks, 
in a narrower, nearly cylindrical spike, and in growing in clumps. It 
occurs mostly in low, moist grounds, and, like the Agropyrum glaucum, 
it is one of the best grasses for hay. It ripens in July, and affords very 
little feed thereafter. 
HORDEUM. 
Inflorescence a dense spike, with two or three spikelets at each joint of the notched 
rhachis; spikelets one-flowered, with an awl-shaped rudiment of a second flower, the 
central spikelet of the cluster perfect and sessile, the lateral ones short-stalked and 
imperfect or abortive; outer glumes side by side, two to each spikelet, usually slender 
and awn-pointed, or bristle form; flowering glume herbaceous, shorter, oblong, or 
lanceolate, rounded on the back, not keeled, five-nerved, acute or long-awned ; palet 
shorter, two-keeled. 
Hordeum jubatum (Wild Barley ; Squirrel-tail Grass). 
On the sea-coast and saline soil in the interior, especially on the Rocky 
Mountains. It has no agricultural value, but its long-barbed awns are 
injurious to the mouths of cattle. 
Hordeum murinum. 
Professor Brewer states that this grass, unfortunately, is extensively 
naturalized in California and Is a vile pest; it comes in when land is 
overstocked; is known there as “squirrel grass,” “‘squirrel tail,” ‘“ fox- 
tail,” and ‘white oats.” The heads break up and the barbed seeds 
work into the wool of sheep and even into the flesh of lambs, killing 
them. It damages the eyes and throats of animals. 
