OBSERVATIONS ON GRASSES. 385 



becaufe it affords a mod wholefome nourilhment 

 to all kinds of cattle, but chiefly flieep •, and he 

 Obferves that the fepulchral monuments of the 

 fintient Tartars are modly found in places that 

 abound with this grafs, which fliews, adds he, 

 that it has long been valued amongft them, 



I have among my graffes a fpecimenof it, but 

 do not remember where i found it. I am cer- 

 tain it is not common in any of the places where 

 i have been. Perhaps upon examination it may 

 be found on places famous for our beft mutton, 

 as Banftead Dov/ns, Church-Stretton in Shrop- 

 fhire, fome parts of Wales &:c. 



ADDITION. Ihavefince found this grafs in 

 great 'plenty in many parts of England and Wales ; 

 indeed on all the fineft fheep pafiures in Hereford- 

 Jhire^ Berk/hire^ Oxfordfhire^ Norfolk &c. Ths 

 - reafon why i thought it not common was^ that it 

 is an early grafs ^ and had fJoed its feeds ^ before i 

 Ufually made myfearches in thofe places where it only 

 grows, Imuji alfo ohferve that^ contrary to what 

 Linnaiisfays^ either thefJocep cr fome other animals 

 do eat the flowering ftems of this grafs ^ for upon 

 Banftead Downs there was nothing to he fecn hut 

 the radical leaves of it^ unlefs amongft the hufjcs 

 'near the hedges^ where it was guarded from the 

 Jheep. 



C c ■ Gcnu5 



