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pratenfii) left by the mowers, which had fliot up 

 between the thorns, by the hedge-fide, 'to the height 

 of near fix feet ; and have fince found that the 

 marfli-bent (agrojiis -palujiris) occupies a confidera- 

 ble part of the ground, and that the Poa-trivialis (or 

 rough-ftalked meadow-grafs) alfo flourifhes much in 

 this meadow. The habits and appearance of the 

 agrojiis palujiris, or marfh-bent, and of the Jioloni- 

 /era, or couchy-bent, are in this fituation fo much 

 alike, that it is difficult to diftinguifti the one from 

 the other. They both bend at the joints, or knots; 

 fall down, take frefh root there, and run along the 

 ground. It is one or both thefe graifes, which I 

 conceive have grown to thofe uncommon lengths, 

 for which the meadow has been fo much celebrated. 



However this may be, I have no doubt that the 

 great fertility arifes from the underflratum, and a 

 plentiful fupply of water. 



In accounting for this fertility, it has been faid, 

 that grafles take better j-ooi in fuch bottoms. If my 

 obfervations are correft, they do not root at all 

 there; nor do I conceive that the fibrous roots of 

 grafs would derive fupport, or imbibe nourifhment, 

 from a bed of flints or ftones. The long-grafs, fo 

 much celebrated in this meadow, which is nourilhed 

 by a fuccefilon of roots, fcarcely penetrates an inch 

 below the furfacc ; and that, fo (lightly, that by ta- 

 king hold of the panicle, or top of the culm, a long 

 length of it may be fevered from the ground. 



The 



