Agrostis vulgaris-Red Top-Herds Grass of Pennsylvania. Heads or flowers spreading, exceedingly light and elegant, mostly purple; culms one to two feet high; slender leaves, three to six or eight inches long; stolons more or less creeping; whole plant smooth; perennial.

ALOPECURUS.*—Stamens 3; styles 2; glumes nearly equal, united at base, compressed, keeled, awnless; glumel of a single valve, awned from below; styles commonly united; stigmas long and plumose.

Alopecurus pratensis-Meadow Foxtail.-Spike cylindrical, dense, soft, blunt at the apex, about two inches in length; general appearance much like Timothy, except the spike is shorter and softer.

ANTHOXANTHIUM.-Stamens 2; styles 2; panicle spicate; glumes thin, acute, keeled, of unequal length; glumel double, outer one with short awns.

Anthoxanthum Odoratum-Sweet-scented vernal Grass.-Panicle contracted into a loose oblong spike, one to three inches long; culm erect, twelve to eighteen inches high; leaves two to five inches long; sheath nerved; ligule elongated; perennial.

POA.†-Stamens 3; styles 2; panicle lax; locusta of from five to ten florets; glume of unequal valves; the inner glumel notched at the extremity.

Poa annua-Annual Spear Grass.-Locusta of about five ficrets, not webbed; annual.

Poa trivialis-Rough-stalked Meadow Grass.-Locusta of about three acute webbed florets; leaves with a rough sheath; ligule pointed; perennial.

POA PRATENSIS June Grass-Spear Grass--Kentucky Blue Grass-Smooth-stalked Meadow Grass-Locusta of about four acute flowers with a web culm and herbage smooth; ligule short and blunt; rhizome creeping; perennial.

Poa compressa-Blue Grass-Flat-stalked Meadow Grass.-Culms flat, oval on a transverse section; rhizome creeping; perennial.

* Name from the Greek Alopex, a fox, and oura, a tail, alluding to the form of the spike.

An ancient Greek name for herbage or pasture.

We come now to consider the agricultural character and value of some of the grasses as forage plants.

a

a Meadow Foxtail--(Alopecurus Pratensis.)

b A spikelet magnified.

e The floret, consisting of a single awned glumel (or palea) removed from the glumes.

Alopecurus pratensis-Meadow Foxtail.--This is called by some of our farmers, June grass, a name more properly applied to Poa pratensis. In its general appearance, it closely resembles Timothy or Herdsgrass, but the spike is soft while that of Timothy is rough, and it blooms earlier, besides which, it gives a luxuriant aftermath. It is a very valuable pasture grass, being of early and rapid growth, and well relished by cattle, particularly by horses and sheep, although in nutritive powers it is not equal to some others. As a hay grass it does not appear to be worth cultivating here, although it is esteemed as such in England. Dickson says, "Of all the English grasses, this appears to be the most adapted for cutting twice." Buckman says, "This is a common native grass, especially in moist meadows and rich pastures, for which situations it is admirably adapted, as it yields a large proportion of hay and a quick growth of aftermath; it should always form part of the grass of irrigated meadows, as it is very early and bears cropping well, sending up culms and a plentiful supply of herbage for the hay crop, after first depasturing by sheep. In laying down land for permanent pasture, it should always take a place with other grasses." Judge Buel says, "It does best in moist soils, whether of loams, clays, or reclaimed bogs." Mr. Flint says, "It thrives on all soils except the driest sands and gravels. * We have many grasses superior to it for cultivation, but for permanent pasture, it is superior to Timothy, which is not a suitable pasture grass."

Phleum pratense-Timothy-Herds Grass of New England— Meadow Catstail of England.-This is a native of England, early introduced from thence by Timothy Hanson of Maryland, from whom it derived the name by which it is most extensively known. According to some, it was first discovered in a swamp, early in the last century, by one Mr. Hurd of Piscataqua, with whose name it thus became associated. It forms the greatest portion of what is commonly termed English hay, being the best known and most largely cultivated of all the grasses. Although of foreign origin, it is, in this country, held in far higher esteem and is cultivated to a much greater extent, proportionally to others, than where it is indigenous. Taking all its qualities into consideration, it is the most valuable of meadow grasses; for although it is deficient in aftermath and second to others as a pasture grass, yet being highly nutritious and pecul

iarly adapted to our climate and to the wants of every description of farm stock, it has no superior for hay. It is a grass of easy cultivation, and particularly well adapted for growth upon moist, peaty and loamy soils, upon which when in good condition, from three to four tons per acre are sometimes cut; upon lighter and drier soils, tolerable crops are obtained with care, but it is never so much at home upon them, or so profitable as upon those first named. It seeds freely and abundantly, as much as thirty bushels of seed, it is said, having sometimes been obtained from an acre.

It has been a general practice with farmers to sow this grass with clover; but in many sections, this mode is falling into disuse, owing to the different periods at which they are severally fit for the scythe. If both be grown together, the crop cannot be cut so as to secure the best properties of each. The discussions which have prevailed so widely with regard to the proper time to cut grass, as also those regarding the proper height at which to cut, have had reference, in a great measure, to this grass. If cut when coming into bloom, it doubtless makes more palatable hay, but gives less weight per acre, and increases the liability of the plant to be killed out by drouth, and of subsequent crops, when not so killed, being weakened, owing to the peculiar formation and requirements of the plant. It is a grass of peculiar structure, in that it has a bulb or tuber above the roots, in which seems to be centered much of the vitality of the plant, and which it is important should at all times be kept in healthy condition.

The following, from the pen of Prof. J. P. Kirtland of Ohio, is commended to the careful study of all who cultivate this grass. "The proper time for cutting Timothy meadows, (Herdsgrass of N. England,) with reference to securing the best quality of hay, has been a fruitful subject of observation and remark. Little or no attention has been paid to the influence of the time and manner of cutting, over the health, permanency and productiveness of such meadows. A vague idea prevails among farmers, that if the mowing be performed before the seed of this species of grass be ripe, it will run out, from a failure to re-seed the ground. Every observing farmer has noticed that in some instances, extensive tracts of Timothy sward have suddenly died soon after the removal of the crop of bay, while in others, the sward continued healthy, and for a

series of years, produced abundantly of this grass. The rationale of such opposite results under apparently similar circumstances, had never been explained, so far as my observation extends.

My neighbor, Richard McCrary, an intelligent and practical farmer, has recently presented me with the annexed propositions and conclusions, as the result of his experience on this subject. These he illustrated by specimens of the grass in every condition to which he alludes. It is hoped they will be thoroughly scanned by persons competent to test their accuracy.

If they bear this test, to Mr. McCrary the credit of the discovery of the facts solely belongs; and I have no doubt the community will consider him as having conferred an important benefit.

1. Timothy grass is a perennial plant, which renews itself by an annual formation of "bulbs," or, perhaps, more correctly speaking, tubers, in which all the vitality of the plant is concentrated during winter. These form, in whatever locality the plant is found, without reference to the dryness or moisture. From these proceed the stalks which support the leaves and the head, and from the same source spread out the numerous fibres forming the true roots.

To insure a perfect development of these tubers, a certain amount of nutrition must be assimilated in the leaves, and returning to the base of the plant through the stalk.

3. As soon as this process of nutrition is completed, it becomes manifest by the appearance of a state of desiccation, or dryness, always commencing above either the first or second joint of the stem, near the crown of the tuber. From this point, the desiccation gradually progresses upward, and the last portion of the stalk that yields up its freshness is that adjoining the head. Coincident with the beginning of this process, is the full development of the seed, and with its progress they mature. Its earliest appearance is evidence that both the tubers and seeds have received the requsite supplies of nutrition, and that neither the stalks nor the leaves are longer necessary to aid them in completing their maturity.

4. If the stalk be cut from the tuber before this evidence of maturity has appeared, the necessary supplies of nutrition will be arrested; their proper growth will cease, and an effort will be made. to repair the injury, by sending out small lateral tubers, from which weak and unhealthy stalks will proceed, at the expense of the orig