The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1878-12-05

These are largely imported, anu OF
late years some dealers have offered
many of those collected i'm various parts
Of this country. These for the most
part are died of various brilliant colors,
and look to our taste, so thoroughly I'M
natural, that we are repealed rather
than attracted by them. The pleasing
effect of grasses is in form, rather than
in color, and when we see specimens
which are naturally of soft green or
straw color, dyed with the most intense
crimson orblue, or of green, the lik foe
whicn no grass ever presented, the eye
is arrested by the stunning color, and
takes no note of the beauty of form.
Others load their grasses with crystals
of alum: and worse yet, others are
given a metallic appearance by the APP
plication Of bronze powder. We can de-
scribe how these things are done, but
we can not find beauty in them.
Each month there will be some gras-
ses in season, and, though many of the
earlier ones have gone by, there will
be found, ,dnring this month and neXt,a
sufficient variety, especially of the lar
ger kinds. As some of the most pleas
ing kinds are of no agricultural value,
they are not generally known by COM
mon names, and to give their botanical
names would be of no use except to
botanists, who do not need them. We
therefore simply say, that by roadsides,
in meadows, and especially in moist
and swampy lands, grasses are to be
sought for. Not only the more snowy
kinds, but those which have delicate,
fine panicles or flower clusters should
be collected. Secure long stems, and
cut away the leaves. In most grasses
the upper JOINT that bears the flower
cluster will pull out readily from the
sheathing leaf; this will often leave the
stem too short TO makeup conveniently,
and it is better to take several joints of
the stem and cut away the leaves. If
one can choose the time for collecting.
the grasses should be watched as they
develop, and taken when in flower,
which may be known by the protrusiOn
of the dRtherS or the feathery stigmaS,
Some grasses, if gathered much later
than this, will drop portions of their
flowers, or shed their seeds in an un-
pleasant manner. Still, If one is but
at a locality, desirable
grass should be taken in the condition
it is found at the time.
Those in which the panicle is grace
full and dropping should be dried so as
to preserve the natural form. If such
are tied in lunches and hung up care
lessly, they will be disappointing when
dry. A handy method is to have
broad and not very deep box of sand,
and stick the stems in this. Those kinds
in which the flowers are in close and
spike-like cluster, may be tied in con-
venient punches AMI hung up, heads
down; little practice will teach the
proper treatment if it be remembered |
thtat he form in which the grass is dried !
cannot be afterward changed. Any |
airy place will answer for drying, such |
as an unoccupied room, or an Old"fash
ioned garnet. When the stems are quite
dry, the flower cluster will be so; and |
if the drying place is not quite free from
dust, they should be put away from
dust and from flies, which are very |
fond of collecting upon them.
Besides the true grasses, there are va
rious members of the Scdge Family that
are worth collecting, especially the Cot
ton grasses (Eriophorum), which show
heir white and brownish plumes in
Doggy meadows. Indeed, whatever
plants by grace or beauty Of form COM
mend themselves to the collector should
De gathered without reference to botani-
,al relationship.