205 



luxuriant kinds. On dry, shallow soils, that are incapable of producing 

 the larger sorts, this should form the principal crop, or rather the whole ; 

 for it is seldom, if ever, in its natural state, found intimately mixed with 

 others, but by itself. 



"Hard Fescue Grass. — This is certainly one of the best of the 

 dwarf sorts of grasses. It is grateful to all kinds of cattle. 



"Meadow Fescue. — This is seldom absent from rich meadows and 

 pastures. It is highly grateful to oxen, sheep, and horses — particularly 

 the former. It appears to grow most luxuriantly when combined with 

 the hard fescue and rough-stalked meadow. 



"Tall Oat Grass. — This is a very productive grass, frequent in mea- 

 dows and pastures, but is disliked by horses and cattle ; this perfectly 

 agrees with the small portion of nutritive matter it affords. It seems to 

 thrive best on a strong tenacious clay. • 



" Yellow Oat Grass. — This grass seems partial to dry soils and mea- 

 dows, and appears to be eaten by sheep and oxen equally with the meadow 

 "barley, crested dog's tail, and sweet scented vernal grasses, which natu- 

 turally grow in company with it. It nearly doubles the quantity of its 

 produce by the application of calcareous matter. 



"Meadow Soft Grass. — This is a very common grass, and grows on 

 all soils, from the richest to the poorest. It aftbrds an abundance of 

 seed, which is light and easily dispersed by the wind. It appears to be 

 generally disliked by all sorts of cattle. The hay which is made from it, 

 from the number of downy hairs which cover the surface of the leaves, 

 is soft and spongy, and disliked by all cattle. 



"Sweet-scented Vernal Grass. — Horses, oxen and sheep eat this 

 grass, though in pastures where it is combined with meadow fox-tail, 

 white clover, cock's-foot, and rough-stalked meadow, it is left untouched, 

 from which it would seem to be unpalatable to cattle." 



Of all the two hundred and fifteen proper grasses, which are capable 

 of being cultivated in the climate of Great Britain, two only have been 

 ^employed to any extent for making artificial pastures — rye-grass and 

 cock's-foot grass — and their application for this purpose, seems to have 

 been rather the result of accident than of any proof of their superiority 

 over other grasses. For further information of the comparative merits 

 and value of the diflferent species and varieties of grasses, I would refer 



