THE ACtRICULTURAL GRASSES OF THE UNITED STATES. 55 



The spikelets are clustered, three to four Hues loug, aud with oue ])er- 

 fect flower. There are two i^airs of empty giuuies ; the outer pair is uu- 

 equal; the lower are about half as loug as the secoud ; both are acute 

 .and keeled. Within these glumes is a second pair, about half as long as 

 the first, thin, two-lobed, hairy, and with an awn or bristle on the back 

 longer than the longest outer glume. These may be considered as 

 abortive or defective flowers. Between these inner glumes is the fertile 

 flower, consisting of another pair of glumes, inclosing the floral organs. 

 These glumes are commonly called palets; they are less than aline long, 

 thin and transparent, the lower one broad and three-nerved, the upper 

 narrow and one-nerved. There are two stamens and two styles. 



This grass is very fragrant and gives a pleasant odor to hay which 

 contains it. Mr. J. Stanton Gould says : 



It is nowhere considered a very valuable variety for liay, as the cnhns are wide 

 apart, very thin, aud bear but few leaves; hence it gives a light crop of hay. 



(Plate 32.) 



HiEROCHLOA BOKEALis. (Vanilla or Seneca grass. Holy grass.) 



This is a perennial grass of northern latitudes, growing in moist 

 meadows near the coast, also in low marshy ground in some parts 

 of Illinois and other States bordering the Great Lakes, and in the 

 mountains of Colorado and northward. The name Eierochloa means 

 sacred grass, so called because it, with other sweet-scented grasses, 

 was strewed before the church doors in the north of Europe. The culms 

 grow from I to 2 feet liigh, with short lanceolate leaves, and an open 

 pyramidal i^anicle from 2 to 5 inches long. The spikelets are three- 

 flowered, the third or terminal one perfect, but with only two stamens; 

 the two lower flowers of the spikelet .ire m ile only, each with three 

 stamens. The two outer glumes are thin and scarious, acutely keeled; 

 the glumes of the male flowers are thicker, slightly pubescent, and 

 fringed on the margins with soft brownish hairs, sometimes with a very 

 short awn from the apex, and inclosing a narrow, bifid, two-keeled palet; 

 the upper or perfect flower has a one nerved glume in place of the usual 

 palet. This grass is very sweet-scented and is often used to perfume 

 drawers, &e. It grows commonly in the northern parts of Europe, as 

 Xorway, Sweden, and Eussia. In our country it does not appear to be 

 adapted to general cultivation. There are two other species native to 

 this country. (Plate 33.) 



(1.) Hierochloa alpina growing on mountains at high altitudes, and 

 (2) Hierochloa macropJiyUa, a largeleaved, robust species, growing in 

 California, whose value for agricultural purposes is undetermined. 



ALOPECURrs PRATE^^sis. (Meadow Fox tail.) 



This is a perennial grass, native of Europe, but has been introduced 

 and is frequently found in meadows in the Eastern States. It has con. 

 siderable resemblance to tiuiothy, but will be readily distinguished by 



