VEGETABLE So 



2m 



Iferd grass. White top, foul meadow grass of 

 East Jersey. Dr. Muhlenberg informs the author, he 

 thinks this grass is the agrostis stricta of Wildenow- 

 It is particularly adapted to wet low grounds*, It 

 mats and consolidates the surface, continues many 

 years, excluding every other grass, and all weeds. 

 Many worthless swampy spots in the low parts of the 

 state of New Jersey have been rendered valuable 

 grazing grounds by this grass, loaded waggons hav- 

 ing passed over places, which a few years before 

 sowing it, would scarcely admit an animal to walk 

 over them v^^ithout sinking. It makes excellent hay^ 

 and cattle are said to prefer it to that made of either 

 elover or timothy. It is more succulent than timothy, 

 though not so coarse. The same bulk of herd grass 

 hay will weigh one-third more than the same bulk of 

 timothy hay. Four tons is a common crop from one 

 acre. It yields no second crop, but affords excellent 

 late and early pasture. It was first brought to New 

 Jersey from New England by the late William 

 Foster, who resided near Mount Molly ; and intro- 

 duced into Pennsylvania about ten or twelve years 

 since. 



The red top ^and white iop. of New England are 

 only varieties of the above species of grass. The 

 latter is the larger of the two. The red top is parti- 

 cularly valuable, as it will grow and sod the first 

 year on banks, when no other grass will thrive. 



The juncus bulbosus^ or black grass of New Eng- 

 land and Long Island, is another valuable grass, me- 

 riting particular notice ; this plant was first noticed 

 about sixty years since, ?ind is gradually progressing 



