I 
473 
tain localities is due to this grass. The culms are used in making 
hats. 
I am not aware that this fine grass has been analyzed in this country. 
The following is by Profs. Way and Ogston of plants grown on a calca¬ 
reous soil in England:* 
O * 
Phosphoric acid. 10.09 
Sulphuric acid. 3.39 
Carbonic acid. 1/26 
Lime. 9.21 
Magnesia. 2.53 
Peroxyde of iron. 1.18 
Potash. 32.03 
Chloride of potassium. 7.03 
Cldoride of sodium. 4.90 
Silica. 28.36 
100.00 
Percentage of water in green grass.80.25 
“ ash 1 ‘ “ . 124 
Percentage of nutritive matter in dry hay. 93.72 
“ ash “ “ . 6.28 
GENUS 47. PHALARIS. Linnaeus. 
[Greek— P/ialos, shining.] 
Spikelets crowded in a dense panicle three-flowered; but the two lateral 
flowers mere neutral rudiments at the base of the perfect one, which is 
flattish, awnless, of two shining paleae, shorter than the equal boat¬ 
shaped glumes, finally coriaceous shining and closely inclosing the flatten¬ 
ed, free and smooth grain; stamens three; leaves broad flat. 
116. Phalaris Arundinacea. Linnaeus. 
Syn. —P. Americana, Torrey. Calamagrostis colorata, Nutt. Reed 
Canary grass. 
Panicle more or less branched, clustered, a little spreading when old; 
glumes obtusely keeled, with flattened pointed tips, the lower one fringed 
on the margin below the middle; rudimentary flowers cartilaginous hairy, 
one-eighth the length of the fertile ones. Perennial; flowers in July. 
Culms 2 to 4 feet high. Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio, Minnesota and about 
Lake Superior. Native also of Europe. The “ ribbon-grass” of the 
gardens is a cultivated variety of this species. 
•Working Farmer, vol. iii, p. 173, and 6th, An. Report of the Board of Ag., Ohio, 
1851, p. 187. 
: ■’Jj'iilfl'. I 
