a ee 
For the Southern States, 85 
great variety of soils and conditions, and a vast number (seventy or 
more) of varieties produced, some of which were greatly improved, while 
others were inferior and became 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 deficient in nutritive matter. In 100 parts of the dried grass cut in 
bloom were albuminoids 11.85, fatty matters 3.17, heat-producing 
principles 42.24, woody fibre 35.20, ash 7.54. The more recent analysis 
of Wolff and Knopp, allowing for water, gives rather more nutritive 
matter than this. 
It grows rapidly, and yields heavy crops of seed; makes good graz- 
ing, and gocd hay. But, as with all the Rye grasses, to make good hay, 
it must be cut before passing the blossom stage, as aiter that it deteri- 
orates rapidly. The roots being short, it does not bear drought well, 
and exhausts the soil, dying out in a few years. In these respects it 
is liable to the same objections as Timothy. Thestem, one to two feet 
high, has four to six purplish joints and as many dark green leaves; 
the flexious spiked panicle, bearing the distant spikelets, one in each 
bend. 
It should be sown in August or September, at the rate of twenty-five 
or thirty pounds, or one bushel seed per acre. 
TALL MEADOW OAT GRASS. 
(Arrhenatherum Avenacewm.) 
Evergreen grass in Virginia, and other Southern States, and it is 
the Tall Oat (Avena elatior) of Linzeus. 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 of a third, open; lowest 
flower staminate or sterile, with a long bent awn below the middle of 
‘the back.’’— (Flint.) 
It is widely naturalized and welladapted to a great variety of soils. 
On sandy, or gravelly soils, it succeeds admirably, growing two or three 
feet high. On rich, dry upland it grows from five to seven 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 enab- 
led to yield a large quantity of foliage, winter andsummer. These ad- 
vantages render it one of the very best grasses for the South, both for 
erazing (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 Vimothy, and, containing a 
greater quantity of albuminoids andless of heat-producing principles, 
itis better adapted to the uses of the Southern farmer, while it exhausts 
the surface soil less, and may be grazed indefinitely, except after mow- 
ing. To make good hay it must be cut the instant it blooms, and, after 
being cut, must not get wet by dew or rain, which damages it greatly 
in quality and appearance. 
For green soiling, it may be eut four or five times with favorable 
seasons. In from six to ten days after blooming, 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- 
