336 HORTUS GllAMINEUS WOBURNENSIS. 



sand is most abundant, the meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis), 

 Welch fescue {Festuca Cambrica), sweet-scented vernal -grass 

 {Anthoxanthum odorutum), woolly oat-grass (Avena pitbesceris), 

 purple fescue-grass (Festuca rubra), early h-div-grass (Air a pra;cox), 

 crested hair-grass (Aira cristata), common bent-grass {Agrostis 

 vulgaris), upright bent-grass {Agrostis stricta), bundled-leaved 

 bent {Agrostis J'ascicularis), common quaking-grass {Briza media), 

 and flat-stalked meadow-grass {Poa compressa), are most prevalent. 

 Where the calcareous matter predominates, we find, in the greatest 

 abundance, sheep's fescue {Festuca oviua), meadow oat-grass 

 (Avena pratensis), upright brome-grass {Bromus erectus), pinnate 

 brorne {Bromus pinnatus), knee-jointed meadow cat's-tail {P/ikum 

 nodosum), and (P/i/eum pratense), varietas minor. Unless there be 

 in the soil some proportion of argil, neither the Avena Jiavescens, 

 Dactijlis glomerata, nor Cynosurus cristatus, will grow. Mixed 

 with the preceding natural grasses, over these downs, are to be 

 found some species of scabiosa, orchis, carex, trifolium, plantago, 

 lotus, ornithopus, poterium, anthi/Uis, hedysarum, medicago, campa- 

 nula, and hieracium. Mr. Taunton expresses little doubt that in 

 a sandy chalk down, with a tolerable depth of soil, and with 

 such a proportion of argil as not to starve the cock's-foot, the 

 union of cock's-foot, meadow-fescue, narrow-leaved brome-grass, 

 yellow oat-grass, upright brome-grass, barley-like fescue, common 

 quaking-grass, downy oat-grass, and meadow oat-grass, would 

 afford a permanent crop of a ton of hay per acre per annum. 



Of the different grasses natural to dry siliceous sandy soils that 

 have been submitted to experiment, and mentioned in the foregoing- 

 series, the sheep's-fescue {Festuca ovina), flexuose hair-grass {Aira 

 fiexuosa), long-awned sheep's-fescue {Festuca ovina hordeifoimis), 

 common bent-grass {Agrostis vulgaris), flat-stalked meadow-grass 

 (Poa compressa), and common bird's-foot trefoil {Lotus cornicu- 

 latus), prove to be the best. For dry calcareous soils, on chalky 

 subsoils, the meadow oat-grass (Avena pratdnsis), upright flat- 

 stalked meadow-grass (Poa compressa), crested brome-grass (Bro- 

 mus cristatus), will be found the most valuable, if no alteration be 

 made in the nature of the soil. 



It has already been observed, that these grasses, even when 

 cultivated in the best manner, are only adapted for the 

 maintenance of sheep ; and to introduce the superior pasture 

 grasses on such soils, the previous application of clay or marl 

 is absolutely necessary. When this important point has been 



