THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



263 



I. When the lattermath of the fescue is included, 

 the value will approach nearer to the cocksfoot, 

 and rise more above the foxtail; 1,920 grains of leaves 

 of fescue gave 9G grains nutritive matter, of which 

 100 gave 59 of mucilage or starch, 200 of saccha- 

 rine matter or sugar, and 20 of extractive or saline 

 matter. It flowers about the middle of June, the 

 usual time of cutting grass crops for hay, and 

 ripens seeds about the end of July : the grass is 

 not very early; cut for general purposes, it admits 

 no superior, the ray grass excepted, which it ex- 

 ceeds in quantity of foliage; the strong growth 

 sometimes shows a coarseness of stems and pani- 

 cle, which does not accompany the compact in- 

 floresence of the ray grass, and on these subjects 

 the conclusions that are deduced from the experi- 

 ence of utility must outweigh the results of the 

 laboratory. The fescue is preferred to the ray 

 grass, in a ready growth on a large quantity of soils 

 and a certainty of produce, a number of stems of 

 an equal height that resemble the grain crops, a 

 bulk of produce always fair in quantity and quality, 

 and an abundance af healthy seed that is easily 

 gathered and conveniently manufactured. 



MEADOW CATSTAlIi GRASS 



Combines several of the qualities that entitle it to a 

 general recommendation. The culm or stem rises 

 from one to three feet in height, according to the 

 richness of the soil; the flowers are placed on a 

 cylindrical spike, long and blunted, with the points 

 of the seed cup forked ; leaves lanceolate, pointed, 

 rough on the upper surface ; sheath striated, 

 smooth ; flowers crowded, on partial subdivided 

 stalks ; root perennial, creeping, sometimes tu- 

 berous and bulbous. The whole plant varies much 

 from local influences, and often has a leafy spike 

 by the seeds germinating in wet weather, without 

 falling to the ground. 



At the time of flowering, the catstail grass pro- 

 duced on an acre 40,837 lbs. ; when ripe the same 

 weight, but the quantity of nutritive matter was more 

 than doubled : the lattermath yielded 9,528 lbs,, 

 and the same quantity of nutritive matter as at the 

 time of flowering ; 1,920 grains of leaves gave 80 

 grains of nutritive matter, of which 100 gave 7* of 

 mucilage or starch, 10 of saccharine matter or 

 sugar, and 16 of bitter extractive or saline matter. 

 The ripe crop exceeds the flowering in value as 14 

 to 5, which circumstance gives great value to the 

 plant for the purpose of hay. If these statements 

 of comparative produce and value be admitted as 

 an authority, it will be seen that catstail exceeds 

 the foxtail grass in every respect except in the pro- 

 duce of the lattermath, an advantage that is much 

 overbalanced by the greater produce and ready 

 growth of the catstail grass. It thrives much on 

 peaty lands, and in humid climates, and on all 

 damp soil, and those that possess a degree of 

 loamy softness in the composition ; and is unfit for 

 hot sands, gravels, and chalks, and for hard, sterile 

 clay. With that exception, the best experience on 

 a great variety of soils, and for a long period of 

 time, has placed this grass second or third for ge- 

 neral utility. It grows readily and abundantly, 

 yields much seed, which is of good quality. On 

 very good lands it has a tendency to produce height 



of stems in place of number, and the leaves are 

 soon blanched and yellowed with rain, in the ma- 

 king into hay ; but the other grasses have a similar 

 tendency, and all are inferior to ray grass in pro- 

 ducing a crop of the greatest number of stems of 

 an equal height. The time of flowering is little if 

 any later than the cocksfoot, fescue, and ray grass, 

 and for a crop of hay, for two and three years' 

 pasture, and for permanent meadows, the catstail 

 grass must form a considerable part of the mixture. 

 A comparative trial of plants on a scale of superior 

 cultivation and refined management can afford no 

 criterion of general value ; one plant will produce 

 abundance in such circumstances, but will fail 

 when subjected to ordinary cultivation, and another 

 which showed only a fair produce in the experi- 

 ment, will maintain it more nearly in ordinary 

 management, and take the place of others ; for it 

 does not follow that a superiority in one state of 

 trial will attend the plant in other circumstances, 

 which are probably more unfavourable to itself, 

 and more agreeable to others. 



The catstail grass fails in comparison with the 

 ray grass and meadow-fescue plant, in the number 

 of stems of an equal height, and in the ready 

 growth on the large variety of soils. The stems are 

 harsh, and, with the leaves, are not so much relished 

 by animals as the above-mentioned grasses. But 

 on all damp well-cultivated lands, the catstail is 

 a valuable grass sown at the rate of 4 lbs. to an 

 acre. 



COCKSFOOT GRASS 



Has a fibrous tufted perennial root; leafy, simple, 

 or branched stems, and the flowers in dense uni- 

 lateral panicled tufts. The culms or stems are 

 two to three feet high, with four or five purplish 

 knots or joints, with rugged sheaths sharply keeled; 

 leaves flat, glaucous, acute, spreading, rugged on 

 both sides ; panicle branched, distinctly and alter- 

 nately turned to one side, glomerate; flowers in 

 dsnse tufts, one-sided, terminate floret abortive ; 

 seed- cup often awned. 



The cocks-foot grass is rather early in growth, 

 and in many excellent old pastures it is mostly al- 

 ways found in the turf. It vegetates much during 

 the winter months, and when sown in two bushels 

 on an acre, with red clover, it has quickly formed 

 a very good sward. As a single plant, to sow with 

 clover for hay, it is altogether unsuitable ; on good 

 lands it sends up very strong coarse stalks, too 

 tall and few in number, and unfit for fodder, and 

 the hassocky tufted roots do not yield at that sea- 

 son a quantity of leaves to be cut for hay. But on 

 inferior soils, that are used in pasturage for two or 

 three or more years, in remote or high situations, 

 it forms one of the most valuable of our grasses, 

 growing readily on many soils, shoots early, and 

 aflfords, from its tutted growth, an early bite for 

 sheep, and produces an abundance of sound, 

 healthy seed, which is easily gathered. The gene- 

 ral complaint of running up the coarse stalks may 

 be remedied by early and close grazing, and v/hen 

 sown on poor lands along with other perennials, it 

 will produce the earliest feed ; and if the soil be 

 damp and soft, also the most succulent herbage 

 during the season. The quality is much improved 



