69 DOWNY OAT GRASS. 



CHAPTER XIX. 



DOWNY OAT GRASS. 



Trisetum Puheseens — Generic Character. 



Spikelets 2 ; several flowered, often in a contracted 

 panicle ; the lower palet compressed keeled, of about 

 the same membranaceous texture as the glumes, bear- 

 ing a bent or flexuous (rarely twisted) awn below the 

 sharply two-toothed or two-pointed apex (whence 

 the name from tris, three, and seta, a bristle): other- 

 wise nearly as in Avena. Gray. Flowers in June, 

 and ripens seeds in July. 



Way's Analysis 

 100 parts taken green from the field July lltli. 



Water ' 61.50 



Albuminous, or flesii forming principles 3.07 



Fatty matters .92 



Heat producing jDrinciples, starch, sugar, gum, etc 19.16 



W^oody Fibre. . ., 13.34 



Mineral matter, or Ash . . . ; , , -2.01 



100.00" 

 100 parts of the grass dried at 212^ Fahr 



Albuminous, or flesh forming principles 7.97 



Fatty matters 2.39 



Heat producing principles, starch, sugar, gum, etc 49.78 



Woody Fibre 34 64 



Mineral matter, or Ash , . . . . 5.22 



Downy Oat grass, Trisetum Pubescens, better 

 known as Avena Pubescens, A Yel. Trisetum Pub- 

 escens. Is generally found growing on dry, rocky 

 soils, also on chalky ones in England. Jt is only of 

 late years that it has received much attention. It is 

 now considered a good permanent grass to be sown 

 on medium lands, on account of its hardiness and 

 and its being but a slight impoverisher of the soil. It 



