76 Richard Frotsclier^s Almanac and Garden lilannal 



iDg will pot them in deep enough, as the seeds are very minute, 

 aud the spears of grass small as fine needles, and therefore unable 

 to get out from under heavy cover. These spears are so small as 

 to be invisible, except to close examination, and in higher lati- 

 tudes, this condition continues through the first year. Thus, 

 some who have sown the blue grass seed, seeing the first year no 

 grass, imagine they have been cheated, plant some other crop, 

 and probably lose what close inspection would liave shown to be 

 a good catch. This, however, is not apt to occur in the Southern 

 tier of States, as the growth here is more rapid. The sowing- 

 mentioned above, made on the 20th of March, came up promptly, 

 and in threfe months the grass was from six to ten inches high. 

 One year here gives a finer growth and show than two in Ken- 

 tucky or any other State so far north. 



Sown alone, 20 to 26 pounds; that is, 2 bushels, should be 

 used. In mixtures, 4 to 6 pounds. 



"^^^Z, ElN-GLISH OE PERENNIAL RYE GRASS. 

 Lolium perenne. 



This is the first grass cultivated in England, over two centu- 

 ries ago, and at a still more remote ])eriod in France. It was 

 long more widely known and cultivated than any other grass, 

 became adapted to a great variety of soils and conditions, and a 

 vast number (seventy or more) varieties produced; some of 

 which were greatly improved, while others were inferior and be- 

 came annuals. Introduced into the United States in the first 

 quarter of the current century, it has never become very popular, 

 although shown by the subjoined analysis of Way not to be de- 

 ficient in nutritive matter. In 100 parts of the dried grass cut 

 in bloom were albuminoids 11.85, fat'y matters 3,17, heat-pro- 

 ducing principles 42.24, woody fibre 35.20, ash 7.54. The more 

 recent analysis ot Wolff and Knop, allowing for water, gives 

 rather more nutritive matter than this. 



It grows rapidly and yields heavy crops of seed, makes good 

 grazing and good hay. But as with all ihe Rye grasses, to make 

 good hay it must be cut before passing the blossom stage, as af- 

 ter that it deteriorates rapidly. The roots being short, it does 

 not bear drought well aud exhausts the soil, dying out in a few 

 years. In these respects it is liable to the same objections as 

 timothy. The stem one to two feet high, has four to six purplish 

 joints and as many dark green leaves. The fiexuous spiked pan- 

 icle bearing the distant spikelets, one in each bend. 



It should be sown in August or September, at the rate of twen- 

 ty-five or thirty i)ouuds or one bushel seed per acre. 



TALL MEADOW OAT GRASS. 



(Arrhenatlierum Avenaceum.) 



Evergreen grass in Yirginia, and other Southern States, and it 

 is the Tall Oat (Aveua elatior) of Linnaeus. It is closely related 

 to the common oat, and has a beautiful open panicle, leaning 

 slightly to one side. ^^' Spikelets two-flowered, and a rudiment 



