66 THE AGRICULTURAL GRASSES OF THE UNITED STATES. 



ligules. The panicle is oblong in outline, 4 to 6 inches long, open, com- 

 posed of eight or ten joints or whorls, the lower branches mostly in 

 fives, slender, unequal, the longer ones much subdivided. The spike- 

 lets are about a line long, varying from greenish to purple. The outer 

 glumes are lanceolate and pointed, nearly alike in size, smooth, except 

 tlie more or less roughened keel. The flowering glume is but little 

 shorter than the outer ones, tbin and delicate, and occasionally with a 

 minute awn on the keel. The palet is narrow, and from half to three 

 fourths as long as its glume, and inclosing the floral organs. There are 

 several varieties of this grass, which are by some botanists considered 

 a distinct species. 



Agrostis alba, the Fiorin grass of Ireland, and Agrostis stolonifera are 

 usually considered synonymous, and are distinguished from A. vulgaris 

 by having a closer, more verticillated panicle, and with longer and more 

 acute ligules. 



Mr. J. G. Gould says of Agrostis vulgaris: 



This is a favorite grass in wet, swampj^ meadows, where its interlacing, thick roots 

 consolidate the sward, making a firm matting which prevents the feet of cattle from 

 poaching. It is generally considered a valuable grass in this country, though by no 

 means the best one. Cattle eat hay made from it with a relish, especially when 

 mixed with other grasses. As a pasture grass it is much valued by dairymen, and in 

 their opinion the butter would suffer much by its removal. 



Professor Phares, of Louisiana, says respecting this grass : 



It grows well on hill tops and sides, in ditches, gullies, and marshes, but delights 

 in moist bottom land. It is not injured by overflows, though somewhat prolonged. 

 It furnishes considerable grazing during warm sjiells in winter, and in spring and 

 summer an abundant supply of nutrition. Cut before maturing seed, it makes good 

 hay and a large quantity. It seems to grow taller in the Southern States than it does 

 farther north, and to make more and better hay and grazing. 



Mr. Flint says : 



It is a good permanent grass, standing our climate as well as any other, and con- 

 sequently well suited to our pastures, in which it should be fed close ; for if allowed 

 to grow up to seed the cattle refuse it; and this seems to show that it is not so much 

 relished by stock as some of the other pasture grasses. 



(Plate 53.) 



Agrostis exarata. (^^orthern Ked top, Mountain Eed top.) 



This is chiefly a northern species, being found in Wisconsin and west- 

 ward to the Rocky Mountains, also in British America, and California 

 to Alaska. It is very variable in appearance, and presents several 

 varieties. It is generally more slender in growth than the common red 

 toj). The panicle is usually longer, narrower, and looser. In all the 

 forms the palet is wanting or is very minute. The form chiefly growing 

 on the Pacific slope from California to Alaska is often more robust than 

 the A. vulgaris^ growing 2 to 3 feet high, with a stout, firm culm, clothed 

 with three or four broadish leaves, 4 to 6 inches long. The panicle is 

 4 to 6 inches long, pale green, rather loose, but with erect branches^ 



