78 THE AGRICULTURAL GRASSES OF THE UNITED STATES. 



perimented with ; it remains green during the winter, and starts into growth very- 

 early in the spring, making a dense, heavy growth from 20 to 30 inches high, and, as 

 far as at present tested, it stands the summer heat well. 



Professor Phares, of Mississippi, says : 



It is widely naturalized and well adapted to a great variety of soils. On sandy or 

 gravelly soils it succeeds admirably, growing 2 to 3 feet high. On rich, dry upland 

 it grows from 5 to 7 feet high. It has an abundance of perennial, long fibrous roots 

 penetrating deeply in the soil, being therefore less affected by drought or cold, and 

 enabled to yield a large quantity of foliage, winter and summer. These advantages 

 render it one of the very best grasses for the South, both for grazing, being evergreen, 

 and for hay, admitting of being cut twice a year. It is probably the best winter 

 grass that can be obtained. It will make twice as much hay as timothy. To make good 

 hay it must be cut as soon as it blooms, and after cut, must not be wet by dew or 

 rain, which damages it greatly in quality and appearance. For green soiling it may 

 be cut four or five times with favorable seasons. In from six to ten days after bloom- 

 ing the seeds begin to ripen and fall, the upper ones first. It is therefore a little 

 troublesome to save the seed. As soon as those at the top of the panicle ripen suffi- 

 ciently to begin to drop the seeds should be cut off and dried, when the seeds will 

 all thresh out readily and be matured. After the seeds are ripe and taken off the long? 

 abundant It^aves and stems are still green, and being mowed make good hay. It may 

 be sown in March or April and mowed the same season ; but for heavier yield it is 

 better to sow in September or October. Not less than 2 bushels (14 pounds, per acre 

 should be sown. The average annual nutriment yielded by this grass in the southern 

 belt is probably twice as great as in Pennsylvania and other Northern States. 



Mr. Charles L. Flint says : 



It produces an abundant supply of foliage, and is valuable for pastures on account 

 of its early and luxurious growth. It grows spontaneously on deep, sandy soils when 

 once naturalized. It has been cultivated to some extent in New England, and was 

 at one time highly esteemed, mainly for its early, rapid and late growth, making 

 it well calculated as a permanent pasture grass. It will succeed on tenacious clover 

 soils. 



(Plate 70.) 



Danthonia. 



This genus is related to Avena and characterized as follows: Spikelets 

 three to five or raany-tiowered, the axis hairy and produced beyond the 

 flowers in a stipe or imperfect flower; outer glumes narrow, keeled, 

 acute, usually as long as the spikelet; flowering glumes of firmer tex- 

 ture, convex on the back, seven to Dine nerved, with two rigid or scarious 

 terminal teeth or lobes, and with a flatish, twisted, and bent awn be- 

 tween, the teeth. This awn is composed by the union of the middle and 

 two of the lateral nerves. 



Danthonia spicata. (Spiked Wild Oat grass.) 



This species grows in small clumps on barren hills or in poor clay 

 lands. The leaves are mostly in a* tuft near the ground, short, narrow, 

 and curled in dry weather. The culms are from 1^ to 2 feet high, erect 

 and slender. The panicle is only an inch or two long, mostly simple, 

 and of four to seven spikelets, with very short pedicels. The spikelets 



