96 THE AGRICULTURAL GRASSES OF THE UNITED STATES. 



with the size of the plant from 5 to 10 or 12 inches long and 1 to 3 inches 

 wide, and lax; the branches mostly in fives or more numerous, nearly 

 erect, from 1 to 4 inches long, the longer ones subdivided and flowering 

 above the middle. There are some mountain forms or varieties in 

 which the culms are 1 foot or less in height and the panicle greatly re- 

 duced. The spikelets are one to two lines long, two to live flowered, on 

 short pedicels. The outer glumes are about one line long and sharp- 

 pointed. The flowering glumes are rather obtuse, the lateral nerves 

 not promineut, slightly j)ubescent on the margins below, and somewhat 

 webby at the base. 



This sj^ecies is most common in the Northera States, particularly in 

 New England, Xew York, and westward to Wisconsin, and also in re- 

 duced forms in all mountainous districts. 



Mr. J. S. Gould, of New York, says : 



I have found it to grow on almost every kind of soil ; but it attains the greatest 

 perfection in a rich moist one. It is one of those grasses that thrive best when com- 

 bined with others it will not make a superior turf of itself, but it adds much to the 

 value of a sward from its nutritive qualities and powers of early and late growth. As 

 it perfects an abundance of seed it may be easily propagated. 



Professor Phares, of Mississippi, says : 



In portions of the Western States this grass has, for some years, been very highly 

 recommended. In the Eastern States it has been cultivated for one hundred and fifty 

 years or longer and valued highly. Jared Elliott, in 1749, spoke of it as growing tall 

 and thick, making a more soft and pliable hay than timothy and better adapted for 

 pressing and shipping for use of horses on shipboard. He says it makes a thick, abund- 

 ant growth on land more moist than is adapted to common upland grasses, and may be 

 mowed any time from June to October, as it never becomes so coarse and hard but the 

 stalk is sweet aiid tender and eaten without waste. It has not been sutficieutly culti- 

 vated in the Southern States, so far as I am aware, to know how long a meadow set 

 with it may remain profitable. It is, however, worthy of extended trial. 



Mr. Charles L. Flint says: 



It grows abundantly in almost every part of New England, especially where it has 

 been introduced and cultivated in suitable ground, such as the borders of rivers and 

 intervals occasionally flooded. It never grows so coarse or hard but that the stalk is 

 sweet and tender, and eaten without waste. It is easily made into hay, and is a nu- 

 tritive and valuable grass. 



(Plate 98.) 



PoA COMPRESSA. (Wire grass. Blue grass.) 



This species has sometimes been confounded with the Kentucky blue 

 grass, from which it differs in its flattened, decumbent, wiry stems, its 

 shorter leaves and shorter, narrower, and more scanty panicle. It is 

 tbund in many old pastures, on dry banks, and in open woods. The 

 culms are hard and much flattened, 1 foot to 18 inches long, more or 

 less decumbent, and frequently bent at the lower joints. The leaves 

 are scanty, smooth, short, and of a dark bluish-green color. The pani- 



