HORTUS GRAMINEUS WOBURNENSIS. 259 



Linnaeus affirms, that sheep have no relish for hills and heaths 

 that are destitute of this grass. Gmelin, in his Flora Siberica, 

 informs us likewise, that the Tartars choose to fix during the 

 summer where this grass is in greatest plenty, because it affords 

 a most wholesome food for all sorts of cattle, but chiefly sheep. 

 Dr. Anderson, in his Agricultural Essays, affirms that it is 

 capable of affiDrding an immense quantity of hay. Mr. Curtis, 

 in his Practical Observations on British Grasses, has justly 

 combated this opinion of Dr. Anderson, and records that sheep's- 

 fescue is more fitted for the formation of grass-plats ; but for 

 this purpose it will not be found to succeed, unless the soil is 

 nearly as dry and light as that on which it is spontaneously 

 produced. 



When its produce and nutritive powers are compared with 

 those of the purple fescue {Festuca rubra), on the same soil, its 

 inferiority is great. 



lbs. 

 Festuca ovina, as above, affords of nutritive matter from 



three crops, per acre _ - - - 405 



Festuca rubra, purple fescue, affords of nutritive matter — 



dr. qr. 

 From the grass at flowering time, 2 per acre 340 5 ^ 

 At the time the seed is ripe - 12 - 239 4 J 659 5 

 From that of the latter-math - 12 - 79 12 > 



The comparative degree of nourishment which the grass of the 

 Festuca rubra affords at the time of ripening the seed, and the 

 latter-math, exceeds that of the Festuca ovina at the same stages 

 of growth, in the proportion of nearly 14 to 1 1 ; and exceeds the 

 F. ovina, in regard to the total produce of the season, in the 

 proportion nearly of 11 to 7. 



From the trial that has here been detailed, the sheep's-fescue 

 does not prove to possess the nutritive powers generally ascribed 

 to it. It has the advantage of a fine foliage, which is succulent, 

 and may therefore, very probably, be better adapted to the masti- 

 cating organs of sheep than the larger grasses, whose nutritive 

 powers are shewn to be greater. Hence, on situations where it 

 naturally grows, and as pasture for sheep, it may possibly be 

 inferior to none on the same soil in the like state of nature. It 

 flowers in the third week of June, and the seed is ripe about the 

 last of July. 



