LIFE HISTORY OF TIMOTHY 6 
Stem. — The axis of the shoot; it includes the proaxis, haplocorm, 
culm, and rachis. 
Proaxis. — The part of the stem below the first elongated internode, 
or below the haplocorm. 
Haplocorm*. — The swollen part near the base of the stem. It is 
usually composed of one, less frequently two, and rarely three 
swollen internodes. 
Culm. — The part of the stem which is composed of elongated, 
cylindrical, usually hollow internodes. 
Since it is desirable to have specific names for the proaxis and 
the haplocorm, it seems better to restrict the name " culm " to that 
part of the stem which is composed of elongated, cylindrical inter- 
nodes. In the upper part of the culm these internodes are hollow, 
but near the base they are often nearly or entirely solid. 
Head. — The inflorescence, which is a spikelike or contracted 
panicle. 
GROWTH OF THE TIMOTHY PLANT 
The seeds of timothy mature in northern Ohio in late July or early 
August. When timothy grows under natural conditions the seeds 
fall to the ground, and within a few days or weeks, when conditions 
become favorable, may germinate. Where timothy grows in uncul- 
tivated places, and where climatic conditions are similar to those in 
northern Ohio, volunteer seedlings are likely to develop during 
August or early in September. 
After the seed has germinated the following growth of the plant 
depends upon the weather, soil conditions, crowding by other seed- 
lings, etc. If growth is comparatively vigorous a bud in the axil 
of one of the leaves may develop into a secondary shoot. Sometimes, 
under favorable conditions, four or five, or even more of these 
secondary shoots may be formed on a plant during the autumn 
months. 
During the cold weather of winter the plant is more or less dor- 
mant. In extremely cold weather the upper or tip portions of the 
blades may be destroyed to some extent by freezing. On the other 
hand, it has been observed that during periods of mild weather 
growth of the timothy plants may be resumed temporarily at any 
time during the winter. This fact is illustrated by records which 
were obtained from eight timothy shoots in the winter of 1918-19. 
During the period from December 20 to January 13 a new leaf 
formed on one shoot but there was no increase in the number of 
leaves on the others. From January 13 to February 13 one addi- 
tional leaf developed on each of seven of the eight timothy shoots 
which were being observed. Table 1 gives records from the United 
States Department of Agriculture Weather Bureau station at Cleve- 
land, Ohio, at approximately the same altitude as the timothy-breed- 
ing field station and at a distance of 22 miles from it. These records 
show that the weather during the second period, when the greatest 
amount of growth occurred, was warmer than during the first of 
these two periods. 
