536 The Natural History of British Grasses. 



ovate, of from six to ten florets, upright, on short 



pedicles ; flowers and whole plant hairy. 

 2. B. mollis, var. racemosus — smooth brome — the same as 



the preceding, only that the flowers are smooth and 



glistening, 

 o. B. mollis, var. commutatus — field brome — locustae of from ten 



to twelve smooth florets, more or less drooping, upon 



long and slender pedicles. 



4. B. secalinus — locustae of from eight to ten florets, which 



are usually smooth, but in the sub-variety velutinus are 

 hairy ; much drooping in seed, Avhen the florets are more 

 distinct and separated than in the other forms. 



b. Perennial. 



5. B. erectus — locustce upright, on short pedicles ; florets 



lanceolate, smooth ; anthers bright orange. 



The two first of these may pi'actically be taken together, as the 

 racemosus can only be considered as a smooth form of mollis, and 

 by which the latter is but sparingly accompanied, being pro- 

 duced from the same sample of seed. It is known by the farmer 

 under the name of " lop," and is a detestable weed, especially in 

 seeds, where it sometimes prevails to such an extent as to form 

 the greater part of the hay-crop. In this case it is difficult of 

 eradication, because it is much earlier than the rest of the grass ; 

 and if the hay be cut early, to prevent its seeding, there are 

 always some unflowered stems left behind, which will shoot up 

 and seed in the aftercrop. On this account it has been recom- 

 mended to be cut often, but, after all, this is a method of cure 

 which would frequently render a crop of seeds of comparatively 

 little use to the farmer. " Prevention, therefore," says Sinclair, 

 *'is most to be recommended," and this is to be achieved by 

 judicious cropping and liberal treatment, and more especially as 

 this grass is mostly a denizen of poor exhausted soils. But, 

 above all, we should be particular not to sow this grass with our 

 crop — a process by which its continuance is constantly ensured 

 without proper care, and which results in the following manner, 



A dishonest farmer has a crop of seeds which ma}' be very 

 foul, especially with a prevalence of lop. In this case he knows 

 it will be not only a short but a poor crop of hay and grass ; he 

 therefore seeds it, and the lop and the rye-grass thus become in- 

 separable, and the superior weight of the former makes up a 

 tolerable weight of seed, which, even if sold at a reduced price 

 because it is not of the best quality, pays better than by any 

 other mode of dealing with it ; and thus, as long as men are 

 Togues enough to seed foul patches, and others are so foolish as 



