MOHTUS GRAMINRUS WO B U R N F, NSIS. 209 



considerable quantitv of hay, I)ut is not to be reconiineiided 

 as one of the best grasses for the farmer. The best grasses, 

 in my opinion, continues Mr. Svvayne, are the alopecurits 

 pratensis, poa tricialis, dactylis glomeiata, cj/nosiirus cristatus, 

 Jestuca duriuscula, festuca irraten&is, Jestnca hybrida, aveiia 

 jlavescens, and above all, the lolium perenne. If gardeners 

 and farmers are so careful, as we know they are, in raising 

 the seeds of their turnips and cabbages, surely some of their 

 care is due to the cultivated grasses. I have observed this 

 grass to constitute the principal herbage of one or two pas- 

 tures that were considered excellent for sheep. I have been 

 informed, likewise, that in some pastures in Norfolk this 

 grass forms the principal herbage ; and the proprietors of 

 the lands in question are famed for their superior breed of 

 sheep. Though this proves nothing positive with respect 

 to the merit of the grass, nevertheless, it offers satisfactory 

 reasons to conclude that the grass is not hurtful in sheej) 

 pasture, which is not the case when it is made into hay ; 

 the long sharp awns with which the spikelets are armed 

 rendering it dangerous to the mouths of cattle, and forming 

 a serious objection to its introduction (at least in large quan- 

 tities) into irrigated meadows, where the produce is, in 

 part, every year converted into hay. It is tolerably early in 

 the spring produce of foliage, and its nutritive powers are 

 considerable. It is very hardy, and strictly perennial. 

 Flowers in July, and the seed is ripe in August. 



TRITICUM cristatum. Crested Wheat-grass. Bromiis 

 cristatus. Crested Brome-grass. 



Specific character: Calyx elliptical, awned, keeled, ob- 

 scurely ribbed ; florets awned ; spikelets closely imbri- 

 cated, two-ranked, depressed, straight,- stems simple. 



Native of Scotland. Root perennial. 



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

 a clayey loam is 8,848 lbs. per acre. 



The produce of latter-math is 2,722 lbs. per acre. 



The grass at the time of flowering contains more nutritive 

 matter than the grass at the time the seed is ripe, in the 



p 



