114 HORTUS (iRAMINEUS WOBU R NEN SIS. 



lyx : when raised from seed in shady situations, it has 

 frequently only two florets in each calyx, and sometimes 

 only one, the first year ; the number does not increase 

 afterwards to more than three florets in each calyx. In 

 its natural place of growth, pou nemoralis, in woods 

 under the shade of trees, contains only three florets, 

 and, when long cultivated in exposed situations, the 

 calyx is four and five -flowered. The next following 

 grass, though a distinct species, resembles this in seve- 

 ral of its agricultural merits. Root fibrous and stoloni- 

 feroiis. • The plants of poa variegata, cultivated in the 

 Woburn Abbey Experimental Grass Garden, were com- 

 municated to the Duke of Bedford by my friend Mr. An- 

 derson, of the Botanic Garden, Chelsea. 

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



a brown loam is 9,188 lbs. per acre. 

 This grass springs early, but the produce is inconsiderable, 

 compared to that of many others equally nutrient. It is 

 seldom, or, according to my experience, never found in a na- 

 tural state, except in woods and under the shade of trees. 

 Nevertheless, the seeds vegetate readily when sown on ex- 

 posed situations ; and the plants grow freely, and attain to 

 a greater size and strength, than those in the woods and in 

 the shade. It is singular, that before the period of coming 

 into flower, the plants that are thus cultivated are invariably 

 attacked by the disease termed rust, which pervades every 

 part of the plant. In moist and cloudy seasons the disease 

 is much less severe, being chiefly confined to the leaves. I 

 never could observe the least trace of this affection in the 

 plants of this species while in their natural place of growth. 

 The tall oat-like soft grass (Jiolcus avenaceus), which affects 

 the shade, and is subject to the above disease, is always free 

 from this affection when growing in the shade. It is like- 

 wise precisely the case with the agrostis stoloiiifera, var. syl- 

 vatica, or wood stoloniferous bent-grass. There are grasses 

 which are also peculiarly confined to woods or shady situa- 

 tions, but which continue free from this disease when trans- 

 planted to exposed situations, as the wood millet-grass (mi- 

 lium ej/'usum), hairy wood brome-grass (hromus hirsutus). 



