HORTUS GRAMINEUS VVOBURN ENSIS. 137 



The proportional value which the grass at the time of 

 flowering bears to that at the time the seed is ripe, is as 11 

 to 10 ; and to the grass of the latter-math, as 5 to 2. 



There has often been occasion to observe, that though 

 grass, when left till the seed be ripe, may afford a greater 

 quantity of nutritive matter, nevertheless the value of the 

 latter-math vvhich is lost by this means is often greater 

 than the extra quantity of nutritive matter thus obtained ; 

 add to this the impoverishing effects of the plants on the 

 soil, by the process of ripening the seed, and the less palat- 

 able nature of the hay. The plants of grass are likewise 

 much weakened by the production of seed ; for in all the ex- 

 periments I have made, the produce of latter-math proved 

 always less, in many instances one-half less, in a given time 

 after the seed crop, than after the crop taken at the time of 

 flowering ; I never could perceive, however, that the bad 

 effects extended in any degree to the next following season, 

 the weight of produce being then as frequently superior as 

 equal or less. 



Ray-grass appears to have been cultivated previous to the 

 year 1677; besides which, red clover, sainfoin, epurrey, tre- 

 foil, and nonsuch, were the only plants then cultivated as 

 grasses, or termed such. And it is only of late years that 

 any other species of the natural grasses has been tried as a 

 substitute for it in forming artificial pastures — as cat's-tail 

 grass (phleiim ])ratense) ; cock's-foot grass (dactylis glome- 

 rata) ; and fox-tail grass (alopecurus pratensis). The cat's- 

 tail grass appears to have been made trial of before either of 

 the other two, not more than fifty years ago, by Mr. Rocque, 

 a farmer at Walham Green, near London. The seed of the 

 cock's-foot grass was introduced about the same time from 

 Virginia, by the Society of Arts, &c., but no trial was made 

 of it till several years afterwards : it was then called orchard- 

 grass ; and it is but lately that the fox-tail grass has been 

 tried on an extensive scale — the merits of which seem to 

 have been first accurately pointed out by the late excellent 

 Mr. Curtis, in his several vvorks on grasses. 



There has been much difference of opinion respecting the 

 merits and comparative value of ray-grass. It produces on 



