532 The Natural History of British Grasses. 



of their growth, the author found that the stems, when full 

 grown, contain more nutriment than the leaves at any time ; " and 

 his general conclusions respecting this grass are, that " it is more 

 valuable for pasture than for hay, and, for the latter purpose, is 

 superior to rye-grass and many others." " If constantly kept 

 closely grazed, it yields a greater profit than used in any other 

 way, merely because the leaves grow rapidly, and give a full 

 bite." This, though appearing at first as somewhat paradoxical, 

 is quite in accordance with our own observations, which lead us 

 to conclude that, in all its stages, this is a highly valuable grass. 

 This view, again, is confirmed by Mr. Way's analysis, which 

 determine it to belong to the best agricultural species. It has 

 the merit of growing in almost any soil, and enduring a great 

 range of climatal diff'erence ; it attains to maturity, or at least 

 to as great a bulk as any other species, comparatively soon, and 

 is, therefore, good for admixture in the laying down of permanent 

 pasture, and might, we think, be profitably employed in a mix- 

 ture with rye-grass in seeds. Its more robust and faster growth 

 than most other species should prevent its being used for lawns ; 

 and the admirers of cricket should take car^ to have it expunged 

 from their field — a consummation indeed which will soon result, 

 even when present, from plenty of practice of the ' noble sport.' 

 There is a variety in the seed-maiket known as giant cocks- 

 foot ; it is not different from the usual grass when in cultivation, 

 which indeed sometimes attains gigantic proportions. 



Festuca — panicle lax ; glumes unequal ; finely pointed outer 

 glumel, with a short aicn or bristle at the summit. 



In this genus, so far as the farmer is concerned, we have two 

 types which may be conveniently tabulated as follows : — 



a. Leaves more or less setaceous {hairlike). 



1. Festuca ovina — sheep's fescue — leaves setaceous ; panicle 



diffuse ; rhizome absent. — P. 



Festuca ovina, var. duriuscula — hard fescue — leaves nearly 

 plane on the culm, those of the root inclining to setaceous ; 

 rhizome absent. — P. 



Festuca ovina, var. rubra — creeping fescue — leaves involute 

 (rolled inwards at the edges), thus often appearing se- 

 taceous ; panicle inclining to one side ; rhizome more or 

 less creeping. — P. 



b. Leaves plane. 



2. Festuca loliacea — spiked fescue — panicle spiked in two rows, 



like Lolium perenne ; leaves long, broad, and droop- 

 ing-. — P. 



