344 HORTUS GUAMINEUS WOBURNENSIS. 



following species {Agrostis repens), is more troublesome as a weed, 

 though less productive. Neither of these plants produces stolones 

 or runners, like the varieties of the Agrostis stolonifera ; sometimes, 

 indeed, a few slender runners are found, but they seldom strike 

 root at the joints. The creeping roots abundantly supply this 

 defect in the plant for its propagation, as they creep under the 

 surface, and send up at intervals numerous young shoots. This 

 property of the roots is the best character of distinction for the 

 purpose of the Agriculturist, as it may be found at any season or 

 stage of growth of the plant. 



Flowers in the first week of August, and the seed is ripe about 

 the beginning of September. 



AGROSTIS repens. Creeping-rooted Bent, White Bent. 



Agrostis nigra. (Withering). Black Couch-grass. 



Agrostis alba. (E. Bot. 1189?). 



Specijic character: Panicle scattered ; branches bare at the base ; 

 florets few ; calyx inner valve smooth ; root creeping. Hort. 

 Gram. Fol. 231." 



Obs. — Culms upright, not numerous ; leaves slender, generally 

 shrivelled ; panicle large, widely spreading when in flower ; 

 florets thinly scattered ; branches of the panicle naked near 

 their union with the main stem. Root strongly creeping. 

 This comes very near to the Agrostis alba of the Enghsh 

 Botany. The difference between this and the preceding grass 

 is, perhaps, too little to constitute them distinct species ; the 

 culms of the former are decumbent ; in this grass they are 

 upright, and the root is more powerfully creeping. It is later 

 in coming into flower and in perfecting its seed. 



Native of Britain. Root perennial. 



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

 clayey loam is — 



Produce per Acre, 

 dr. qr. lbs. 



Grass, 9 oz. The produce per acre - - 6125 10 



80 dr. of grass weigh, when dry - 35 ^ 9^70 if; fi 



The produce of the space, ditto - 63 i ~^ 



The weight lost by the produce of one acre in drying 3445 10 10 



64 dr. of grass afford of nutritive matter 3 0^ ^07 9 ^ 

 The produce of the space, ditto - 6 3 3 



Though a later growing grass, it is less productive than the 



