78 



THE FLORA.L WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE, 



J 



AGKOSTIS VULOAEIS 



AGEOSTIS SPICA- 

 VENTI. 



^trong habit to maize. Lagums oratus is one of the rarest and most 

 beautiful of British grasses, very useful for bouquets. 



Panice.e includes the common millet and the celebrated Guinea grass, 

 the most valuable forage-plant for hot, dry climates, requiring in this country 

 to be grown in the stove. Panicum Italicum aristatum, P. orj/cimim, 

 P. pidchruni, Pemiisetum long isti/I urn 

 (extremely beautiful), and Sefan'a 

 macroseta, are interesting species. 



SiiPEiE is a tribe rich in graceful 

 specimens. Btiim pennata is the wcll- 

 knoAvn feather-grass, but 8. capillata, 

 S. gigantea, and S. juncea are also 

 of great beauty. Another good spe- 

 cies is Piptatheruyn Thomasi. 



Ageosteje. — In this tribe we have 

 some of the most useful pasture and 

 lawn-grasses, natives of Britain. Agros- 

 fis vulgaris is one of the most com- 

 mon Avayside and pasture grasses to 

 be met with in a five minutes' ramble 

 in almost every part of the British 

 Isles. The most beautiful of this 

 tribe are Adulcis, effusus, puJchella, 

 spica-renti, and p)itmila. 

 AETTNDEiE. — The mat grass, ADnnojjJiila arundinacea, so much grown 

 on the coast of Norfolk, to prevent the encroachments of the sea, by 

 binding the sand-banks into a firm felt, belongs to this interesting tribe, 

 which abounds in useful and ornamental species, of which the following are 

 of most importance to the cultivator: — Arnndo donax and its varieties fol. 

 var. and versicolor, and Gynerium argenteum, which thrives best m a deep 

 moist loam, in partial shade, and is the finest hai'dy grass of om' gardens, 



PAPPOPnoEE^ needs insertion only for comjoleting the list of tribes. It 

 does not contain any genera of value to the ordinary cultivator. 



Chloke^. — This tribe abounds with interesting genera. One of the 

 most important, in an economical point of view, is Spartina juncea, the 

 nishy cord grass, Avhich yields a fibre as soft as flax and of great strength, 

 and has been recommended for culture on soils too poor for flax. /S. stricta 

 grows on salt-marshes in the east coasts of Britain, and has a peculiarly 

 rigid habit of growth quite unlike the generality of grasses ; it is fre- 

 quently used in the- formation of ropes. The most ornamental of this 

 tribe are Chloris elegantissima, C. fimhriata, C. pohj&tacliya, C. radiata 

 (very beautiful), C. suhmutica, Eleiisine coroeana, E. cyUndrifoha, and 

 E. Indica. Some species of Eleusine, lately introduced from China, are 

 oftered by Messrs. Henderson, of St. John's Wood, as desii-able for orna- 

 mental purposes. 



AvEXEiE. — This includes the Oat and its pretty allies, and the two most 

 fr.agrant of British grasses, namely, the holy grass, Hierochloe horcalis, met 

 with in the Highlands of Scotland, and there used to scent apartments, 

 and Anthoxanthim odoraimn, the sweet-scented vernal grass. Arena ste- 

 rilis is a very graceful grass, as, indeed, are all the Avenas, and excellent 

 materials in a bouquet of wild flowers. Another pretty example is Aira 

 ccespitosa, the tiifted hair-grass, a most beautiful object, as is also the 



