98 HORTUS GRAMINEUS WOBURNRNSIS. 



it is considered a variety. It does ajopear to possess merit 

 in a sufficient degree to entitle it to a place in the composi- 

 tion of the best pastures, particularly as a substitute for the 

 festuca duriuscula, which might be effected with advantage 

 on soils of a drier or sandy nature. It flowers in the last 

 week of May, and ripens the seed in June. The culms are 

 well adapted for the manufacture of the finest straw- plait, 

 being very distant in the joints, and of an equal thick- 

 ness throughout. By the compression of the straws, in 

 the process of plaiting, the furrows of the culms disappear 

 entirely. 



Ky^^ K Jlavescens. Golden Oat, Yellow Oat-grass. 



Specific character: Panicle much branched, spreading, 

 erect; calyx three-flowered, short, all the florets awned. 



Fig. 1. Calyx with its unequal valves. 3. The same 

 magnified. 2. Floret, with the awn arising from above 

 the middle of the outer valve. 4. The same magnified. 

 5. Germenobovate, stigmas densely feathery. 6. Styles 

 short, distinct. 



Root fibrous, perennial. Native of Britain. 



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

 a clayey loam is 8,167 lbs. per acre. 



The produce of latter-math is 4,083 lbs. per acre. 



The proportional value in which the grass, at the time of 

 flowering, exceeds that of the latter-math, is as 3 to 1 ; and 

 the grass, at the time the seed is ripe, is to that of the latter- 

 math as 9 to 5. 



This is one of those grasses which never thrives when cul- 

 tivated simply by itself; it requires to be combined with 

 other grasses to secure its continuance in the soil, and to 

 obtain its produce in perfection. It thrives best when com- 

 bined with the hordeum pratense (meadow barley), cynosurus 

 cristatus (crested dog's-tail), and anthoxanthum odoratum 

 (sweet-scented vernal-grass). It affects most a calcareous 

 soil, atnd that which is dry. It grows naturally, however, 

 in almost every kind of soil, from the lime-stone rock to the 

 irrigated meadow : it is always present in the richest natural 



