HORTUS GRAMINEUS WOBURNENSIS. 269 



is uncommon in pastures, but chiefly confined to road-sides, and 

 other beaten or barren places. I never could observe this grass 

 eaten by cattle of any description, not even by the half-starved 

 animals which feed by road-sides, where this is often the most pre- 

 valent grass. The nutritive matter consists chiefly of mucilage and 

 extractive matter insoluble after evaporation : it afforded me no 

 sugar. However, Dr. Withering says it is eaten by sheep and 

 horses, and that it feeds the brown moth, Phalana granella, and 

 the barley-fly, Musca frit. Professor Martyn observes, that 

 it is an old notion that this grass is barley degenerated, and that 

 Haller seriously combats this error ; but it is surely too manifestly 

 an error to merit contradiction. 



It flowers about the first week of July, and the seed is ripe about 

 the end of the same month. 



AGROSTIS vulgaris mutica. Common Bent, Fine Bent-grass. 



Agrostis arenaria, Agrostis capillaris, Hudson. Agrostis vulgaris, 

 Withering, 132. 



Specific character : Panicle spreading, with divaricated, capillary 

 branches ; calyx valves nearly equal ; stem erect, stipula 

 abrupt, very short. Sm. Engl. Fl. i. p. 91. 



Refer. 1. Floret magnified. 2. Germen and Stigmas. 



Obs. — This species has four varieties, according to Dr. Schra- 

 der. The first is distinguished by being awned (see our 

 Agrostis vulgaris canina, and Trichodium caninum). The 

 second by awnless and diseased flowers (see Agrostis pumila, 

 of Willd. Spec. Plant, i. p. 371). The third by its diseased 

 awned flowers; the awn in this is jointed and bent before 

 it reaches the apex of the blossom valve. The fourth by 

 having the flowers viviparous. Agrostis sylvatica. 



German, Gemeiner-Windhalm. 



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

 siliceous sandy soil is — 



Produce per Acre. 



dr. qr. lbs. 



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



80 dr. of grass weigh, when dry - 36 ^ 4ao/i 

 The produce of the space, ditto - 108 5 



The weight lost by the produce of one acre in drying- 5615 2 8 



64 dr. of grass afford of nutritive matter 3 10 I rqi ii iq 

 The produce of the space, ditto - 12 15 5 



