HORTUS GRAMINEUS WOBURNENSIS. 



201 



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

 a sandy loam is 5,445 lbs. per acre. 



The produce and nutritive powers of this grass are evi- 

 dently so inconsiderable as to justify a conclusion that it is 

 comparatively of no use to the agriculturist. I have found 

 it but seldom in a w^ld state. It grows on a soil of a drier 

 nature than the fibrous-rooted variety, to be spoken of here- 

 after. When raised from seed on a moist soil, it still retains 

 the bulbous root, which goes the length to prove, that if it 

 be not a distinct species, it is at least a permanent variety, 



POA alpina. Alpine Meadow-grass. 



Specific character : Panicle diffused, four to eleven- 

 flowered, cordate; florets acute, free; sheath-scale 

 oblong, acute ; leaves short, obtuse, pointed ; root 

 fibrous. 



Native of Britain. Root perennial. 



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

 a light sandy loam is 5,445 lbs. per acre. 



The produce of this grass appears, from these experi- 

 ments, to be equal to that of the alopecurus alpinus, and its 

 nutritive powers greater ; but not sufficiently great to render 

 it an object for the farmer's particular consideration. It is 

 chiefly confined to alpine regions. It grows wild in Scot- 

 land and Wales, also in Lapland, Switzerland, and Silesia. 



Botanists inform us, that mountainous countries are fur- 

 nished v/ith a much greater variety of plants than flat coun- 

 tries ; and that in primitive mountains the number of dif- 

 ferent species of plants exceeds that of the floetz mountains. 

 This has led to the opinion, that the primitive mountains 

 were the sources from which the plains, clothed at a later 

 period, were furnished with plants. 



The Alpine meadow-grass flowers about the third week of 

 May, and during the rest of the summer; and the seed 

 ripens about the latter end of June, and successively, ac- 

 cording as the grass produces flowers. Hares and rabbits 

 are remarkably fond of this grass, and snails devour the 

 flowering spikclcts of the panicle ; it requires therefore 



