HORTUS GRAMINEUS WOBURNENSIS. 143 



sheaths are rough to the touch: the sheath-scale is blunt, 

 in the Poa triviulis it is pointed : the leaves are blunt, those 

 of the P. trivialis are acuminate. E. Bot. 1073. Hort. Kew. i. 

 p. 155. Curt. Lond. 

 Native of Britain. 



Experiments. — At the time of flowering, the produce from a 

 clayey loam rich with the vegetable matter of active peat, is — 



Produce per Acre. 

 dr. qr. lbs. 



Grass, 15 oz. The produce per acre, is - 10209 6 



80 dr. of grass weigh, when dry - 22 2 ^ 2071 « q 

 The produce of the space, ditto - 67 2 3 



The weight lost by the produce of one acre in drying 7337 15 13 

 64 dr. of grass afford of nutritive matter 13^ ^„g ^ ^ 

 The produce of the space, ditto - 6 2^^^^ S 



At the time the seed is ripe, the produce is, 

 Grass, 12 dr. 8 oz. The produce per acre is, - 8507 13 

 80 dr. of grass weigh, when dry - 32 7 04^0 9 

 The produce of the space, ditto - 80 3 



The weight lost by the produce of one acre in drying 5104 11 

 64 dr. of grass afford of nutritive matter 12 7 iqq « « 

 The produce of the space, ditto - 4 2-^^ S 



The weight of nutritive matter which is lost, by ^ 



leaving the crop till the seed be ripe, being > 79 12 9 

 nearly two-sevenths of its value, is - 3 



The produce of latter-math is, 

 Grass, 6 oz. The produce per acre - - 4083 12 



64 dr. of grass afford of nutritive matter 13 111 10 



The proportional value in which the grass of the latter-math 

 exceeds that of the grass at the time the seed is ripe, is as 7 to 6. 

 The value of the latter-math and seed crop are equal. This grass 

 is therefore of least value at the time the seed is ripe — a loss of 

 more than one-fourth part of the whole crop is sustained, if not 

 cut till that period: the culms are then dry, and the root leaves 

 in a sickly decaying state ; those of the latter-math, on the con- 

 trary, are green and succulent. This species sends forth flowering 

 straws but once in the season, and these being the most valuable 

 part of the plant for the purposes of hay, and considering the su- 

 perior value of the latter-math over that of the seed crop, it will 

 appear from these properties to be well adapted for permanent 

 pasture. There are, however, many other grasses highly superior 



