Agriculture . Fig. 21. —Kentucky blue grass or June grass. A pasture and lawn grass. The best way to study the different grasses is to study themas they are growing; you will then find out how many thereare and how different they are in form of leaf and head, incolor, and in their habits of growing. Blo-Ssoming of Grasses.—There is one other point to studyin grasses, and that is their blossoming. The blossoming ofthe corn plant will be referred to in the next chapter. Theblossoms of wheat and oats are much like those of timothy,shown in fig. 20. The grass blossoms, generally, are verysmall and
Agriculture . Fig. 21. —Kentucky blue grass or June grass. A pasture and lawn grass. The best way to study the different grasses is to study themas they are growing; you will then find out how many thereare and how different they are in form of leaf and head, incolor, and in their habits of growing. Blo-Ssoming of Grasses.—There is one other point to studyin grasses, and that is their blossoming. The blossoming ofthe corn plant will be referred to in the next chapter. Theblossoms of wheat and oats are much like those of timothy,shown in fig. 20. The grass blossoms, generally, are verysmall and are not very bright in color, we are therefore likelyto overlook them; but every grass plant blossoms before itforms seed. If we allow the timothy to stand too long before THE GRASSES. 51 cutting we notice that the hay is dusty ; this is caused bythe pollen from the blossoms on the head. Notice, also, thatall the blossoms on the timothy head do not come out at the. Fig. 22.—Couch grass showing how some grasses reproduce by creepingroots I, new plant just coming up; 2, plant before blossoming; 3, oldplant forming seed. June grass also spreads in the same way. same time. Some are a little later than others. Because ofthis we sometimes hear it said that it blossoms twice, but thisis not the case. Grasses for hay are generally cut just beforeblossoming, or just as the blossoms begin to appear. Clover and buckwheat are not true grasses. Why not ? Why are foxtail and red-top so called ? Which grasses have branched tops and which spikes ? What is meant by seeding-down ? When is this done. Why doesnot the grass outgrow the grain ? Explain why grasses, such as June grass, are so common. Why do notwheat and corn spread ? 52 AGRICULTURE. CHAPTER XII, THE GRAIN CROPS OR CEREALS. The principal grain crops of the farm are wheat, oats, barley,rye, corn, buckwheat, and millet, and to these we shall brieflyrefer. It must be remembered that these crops also may
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