400 The Graminece under Economic Aspects. [Sess. 



wayside and in every neglected street, is not one of cultiva- 

 tion, but as it blooms and ripens its seeds very nearly 

 throughout the year, it establishes itself more or less in every 

 pasture and in innumerable places where it is not wanted. 

 The three other species are valuable agricultural grasses, P. 

 pratensis being the most important. P. trivialis, or rough- 

 stemmed Poa, is indigenous to Europe, North Africa, and 

 North Asia. It is used for permanent pastures and for 

 irrigated meadows. It is curious to note that the seed for 

 the whole world is saved in one district in Denmark. Poa 

 nemoralis, as its name implies, is one that flourishes in woods, 

 and on this account recommends itself for shaded pastures. 

 The German Forestry Department grants licences to the 

 peasants to gather the seeds which constitute the supply for 

 commerce. 



Nearly allied to the genus Poa, and equally important 

 economically, is that of Festuca. Festuca ovina, or the 

 Sheep's fescue, — that beautiful, deep-green, fine-leaved grass 

 so much admired on lawns, — has a very wide geographical 

 distribution. It is an arctic grass, but flourishes in the higher 

 temperate regions of Europe, North Africa, Siberia, North and 

 South America, and on the mountains of Australasia. With 

 us it grows well, and forms a large _proportion of our Highland 

 pastures. Being a very early-flowering grass, our spring is 

 too variable for the saving of the seed, hence we import it 

 from North Germany. Festuca elatior and F. pratensis are 

 very productive of early herbage. Festuca pratensis is not 

 credited with being indigenous to the United States, but we 

 now import the seeds from the state of Kansas. It is rather 

 curious to note how many kinds of permanent pasture-grasses 

 have been introduced by human agency into North America, 

 and from which continent we now import their seeds. 



Crested Dog's-tail (Cynosurus cristatus) is another valuable 

 pasture grass. It seems to delight in moist ground, such as 

 the Hunter's Bog in the King's Park, but will thrive equally 

 well in a dry place. It has long roots, and can withstand 

 drought. Until recently we imported the seed from Holland, 

 but now it is being cultivated very successfully in the north 

 of Ireland, where it is called by the field-workers the " New 

 Grass," in distinction to the rye-grass. 



