56 THE AGRICULTURAL GRASSES OF THE UNITED STATES. 



an examioation. It ordinarily grows about 2 feet high but frequently in 

 good soil reaches 3 feet or more. The culms are erect, with four or five 

 leaves at pretty uniform distances. The sheaths are long and rather 

 loose, particularly^ on the upper one. The blade of the leaf is 3 or 4 in- 

 ches long, about one-quarter inch wide, at the base and tapering gradu- 

 a:lly to a point. The panicle terminates the stalk and is a cylindrical 

 spike 2 or 3 inches long, dense, soft, and with the awns of the flowers con- 

 spicuously projecting. The spikelets are single-flowered, between two 

 and three lines long. The outer glumes are strongly comj^ressed, boat- 

 shaped, keeled, nearly equal, sometimes slightly united together at the 

 base, and have a line of soft, short hairs on the keels. These glumes 

 . closely inclose the flower, w hich is of nearly the same length, and consists 

 of a flowering glume (formerly called the lower palet) and the floral or- 

 gans, but without any true palet. This flowering glume is folded upon 

 itself and incloses the stamens and styles. It gives rise on its back near 

 the base to a fine awn, which extends two or three lines beyond the 

 glumes. 



Mr. J. S. Gould says : 



It flourishes in. May, nearly four weeks in advance of timothy, and is one of the 

 earliest grasses to start in the spring. Pastures well covered with this grass will af- 

 ford a full hite at least one week earlier than those which do not have it. It does not 

 flourish in dry soils, but loves moist lauds; no grass bears a hot sun better, and it is 

 not injured by frequent mowings, on which account, as well as for its early verdure, 

 it is valnable for lawns. 



There is a variety of this grass called A. aJpestris, growing in the 

 Eocky Mountains, which may possibly be utilized there. 

 Mr. Charles L. Flint says : 



It is a valuable pasture grass on accouut of its early and rapid growth, and of its 

 being greatly relished by stock of all kinds. The stems and leaves are too few 

 and light to make it so desirable as a field crop. It thrives best on a rich, moist, 

 strong soil, and shoots up its flowering stalks so much earlier than timothy, that it 

 need not be mistaken for that grass, though at first sight it considerably resembles it. 

 It is superior to timothy as a permanent pasture grass, enduring the cropping of sheep 

 and cattle better, and sending up a far more luxuriant aftermath. It is justly re- 

 garded, therefore, as one of the most valuable of the native pasture grasses of Engl ard 

 forming there a very considerable portion of the sward and enduring a great auiouut 

 of forcing and irrigation. Though forming a close and pennauent sod when fully set, 

 it does not acquire its full perfection and hold of the soil until three or four years 

 after being sown. 



(Plate 34.) 



Alopecurus geniculatus. (Wafer Fox tail.) 



This species, especially the variety arisfulatus, is native to this coun- 

 try. It is commonly found on the muddy banks of streams and lakes, 

 and sometimes is found in wet meadows and ditches. It seldom grows 

 more than a foot in height; the stem is usuall}^ bent at the lower joints, 

 and the sheaths of the leaves are more or less swollen, especially the 

 upper oue. It is of no value for cultivation, being only useful for the 

 amount of grass it may contribute to the wild forage where it grows. 



