538 The Natural History of British Grasses. 



centage of this product (lime) in B. erectus, when compared 

 with some other species, is interesting : we therefore copy it 

 from Mr, Way's fourth Report on the Analyses of the Ashes of 

 Plants : — 



Percentage of 

 Lime in Ash. 



Festuca durinscula (a common chalk species).. .. 10 '31 



Bromus erectus (upright brome) 10 "38 



Dactylis glomerata (cocksfoot) 5 '82 



AlopeciU'us pratensis (meadow foxtail) 3 '90 



Indeed, as regards lime, out of sixteen species the B. erectus is 

 only exceeded by the following : — 



Percentage of Lime. 



Poa anmia (annual meadow) 11 -69 



Phleum pratense (Timothy grass) 14' 94 



— the first of these always succeeding best on road-scrapings from 

 limestone road-metal, as Bristol limestone, and the latter on allu- 

 vial mud-banks from rivers, which is always full of shells. These 

 are facts which, while they show the general correctness of Mr. 

 Way's analyses, at the same time point out their value and 

 importance. 



The B. erectus is usually refused by cattle ; it is a tall grass, 

 but from growing few culms and long leaves it appears much 

 more productive than it really is. Whatever tends to the im- 

 provement of the pasture contributes to its disappearance, and its 

 presence in quantity may be held as a sure sign of poverty of 

 soil, as well as an evidence of its calcareous nature. 



AVENA — panicle more or less lax ; c/lumes thin and mem- 

 branaceous ; gliimels pointed, adherent to the seed. 

 In this genus we have two divisions, one of which contains 

 strictly agrarian species, which are doubtful natives, and are per- 

 haps only derived from degenerated corn-oats. The other con-- 

 tains very distinct plants, exclusively belonging to the meadow. 



a. Agrarian Oats. 



1. Avena fatua — wild-oat — locusta of three florets ; ghimels 



hairy all over, outer one with a long stout awn bent at right 

 angles, and the lower half twisted when ripe. — A. 



2. A. strigosa — bristle-pointed oat — locustce of two perfect 



flowers ; glurnels with two long bristly points awned. — A. 



b. Meadow Oats. 



3. A.'pratensis — Zocz^^to of from three to five florets ; leaves-not 



hairy, finely serrated ; whole plant rigid. 



4. A. pubescens — locustm of three florets ; outer glumel jagged ; 



leaves flat, more or less downy ; plant soft and hairy. 



