20 HORTUS GRAMINEUS WOBURNENSIS. 



Fig. 6. Setaria glauca, {Pariicum glaucum. Willd. Horf. Gram. 

 Aust.) glaucous panic-grass. 



The seed is covered with the corolla ; which becomes 

 indurated and leathery, wrinkled transversely on the sur- 

 face : the calyx or outer husks adhere to the seed. 

 The British Farmer will have but little occasion to dis- 

 tinguish the seeds of the different species of panic- 

 grasses ; as they are for the most part of annual dura- 

 tion only, insignificant as weeds, and, excepting a few 

 species, too tender for cultivation. The seed is the 

 only part of the plant of value. 



Fig. 7. Alopecurus pratensis, meadow fox-tail grass. 



The seed is covered with the husks of the blossom, 

 which are soft and woolly ; the larger valve is furnished 

 with an awn. Insects eat this seed while it is in 

 embryo ; it is also subject to blight, and likewise to the 

 clavus, as shewn in the representation 2. By permitting 

 the first shoots of the season to carry the seed, the bad 

 effects of these diseases are lessened : inasmuch as the 

 month of June, and the earlj/ part of July, are in general 

 drier than towards autumn, when the second shoots of 

 this grass ripen seeds. The seed of a species called 

 Alopecurus Tauntotiensis is not to be distinguished from 

 this, but the plant possesses the valuable property of 

 multiplying speedily by offsets and suckers from the 

 root. By this valuable property for permanent pasture, 

 it answers the objection to the common meadow fox- 

 tail, and removes the only drawback to the more general 

 cultivation of that valuable species of grass, viz. the 

 frequent sterility of the seed. 

 Refer. 1 . Seed of its natural size. 



1. The same magnified. 



2. Diseased seed, affected with the clavus. 



3. Naked seed. The corolla adheres so firmly to the 



seed, that the naked seed is seldom seen ; the figure 

 now referred to represents a healthy naked seed, by 

 which such seeds as are doubtful as regards their 

 fertility, may be compared, and the point deter- 

 mined. 

 Fig. 8. MiUium effmum, millet- grass. 



