HORTUS CJRAMINRUS WO 15 U U N ENSIS. 97 



in a sufficient degree to comjDensate for its deficiencies in 

 other respects. It is far from being so common as they*, du- 

 riuscula, and inhabits tlie drier spots of pastm'es. Flowers 

 some days earlier than the/', duriuscula, and ripens the seed 

 about the same period as that grass. 



FESTUCA ovina hordeiformis. Long-awned Sheep's Fescue, 



Specific character : Panicle compact, branches subdivided, 

 upright. Spikelets crowded, six to ten flowered. Root 

 leaves thread-shaped, stem leaves very long. 



Obs. — In the first account of the results of these experi- 

 ments, this grass is received under the name o{ festuca 

 hordeiformis. Though there are names received among 

 botanists not less incongruous than this one, yet I am 

 happy to agree with the opinion of Mr. Sowerby in con- 

 sidering it a variety of the festuca ovina. I am uncer- 

 tain as to its native place of growth, having never dis- 

 covered it in any soil or situation in a wild state. The 

 culms are strongly marked with ribs. 



Root fibrous, perennial. Native of Britain ? 



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

 a sandy soil with manure is 13,612 lbs. per acre. 



The produce of latter-math is 5,445 lbs. per acre. 



The proportional value in which the grass at the time of 

 flowering exceeds that at the time the seed is ripe, is as 9 

 to 7 : and it exceeds the value of the latter-math grass in 

 the like proportion. The grass of the seed crop and that of 

 the latter-math are equal in the quantity of nutritive matter 

 they contain, a circumstance easily accounted for, as the 

 culms at the time the seed is ripe are drier than in most 

 other grasses at the same stage of growth ; and the produce 

 then consists almost entirely of leaves, similar to the latter- 

 math produce. This species flowers earlier than any other 

 of the fescue species. Its nutritive qualities are nearly the 

 same as those of the festuca duriuscula. It is superior to 

 that species and to most others in the produce of early herb- 

 age in the spring ; the herbage is very fine, tender, and suc- 

 culent. It is highly superior to the festuca ovina, of which 



H 



