358 HORTUS GUAMINEUS WOBURNENSIS. 



northern parts of Europe, the down has been manufactured into 

 various articles of dress, paper, and wicks for candles. In some 

 parts of Sweden, the peasants stuff their pillows with it, whence 

 it is called " poor man's pillow ;" but it becomes brittle when dry. 

 Neither the productive or nutritive powers of this grass appear, 

 from the above details, sufficiently great to recommend it for cul- 

 tivation. Though it comes into flower in June, it is late in the 

 spring before the foliage attains to any length. 



ERIOPHORUM vaginatum. Hare's-tail, or Sheathed Cotton- 

 grass. 



Specific character : Culms obscurely three-cornered, sheathed ; 

 spike oval-oblong. 



Qhs. — Culms erect, smooth, with three or four joints, roundish 

 below, three-cornered above, from six to twelve inches in 

 height. Root-leaves sharp-pointed, streaked on two sides, 

 convex on one side, flat on two sides. Stem-leaves less 

 sharp, upper one with a remarkable inflated sheath. It pro- 

 duces only one spike, which is upright. E. Bot. 873 ; Host. i. 

 t. 39. E. cccspitosum ; Linn.; Curt.; Schrader ; Hort. Gram. 

 Pol. 251. 



German, Raseii-Wollgras. 



Native of Britain. Root perennial, fibrous. 



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



bog soil is — 



Produce per Acre, 

 dr. qr. lbs. 



Grass, 10 oz. The produce per acre 

 80 dr. of grass weigh, when dry - 46 ^ 

 The produce of the space, ditto - 92 3 



The weight lost by the produce of one acre in drying 

 64 dr. of grass afford of nutritive matter 2 7 

 The produce of the space, ditto - 5 3 



The produce and nutritive properties of this grass appear, from 

 the above details, to be very inferior to the preceding species of 

 cotton-grass. The chief property that would give value to it, if 

 its productive powers were greater, is its early growth, being one 

 of the earliest of the British grasses, flowering in April. The 

 foliage is equally early, growing in proportion with the flowering 

 culms ; but its produce of latter-math is very inconsiderable. It 

 is more frequent on moors of a drier nature, than moist bogs, 



