NATURAL HISTORY. 



13 



raised on such soils is consider- 

 ably greater than on sandy soils. 

 As a pasture grass, its luxuriant 

 aftermath, being in value nearly 

 one-fourth greater than its first 

 spring growth, recommends it 

 still more highly. In this respect 

 it is superior to Timothy, the 

 aftermath of which is generally 

 but slight. For lands designed 

 to be laid down to permanent 

 pasture it will make a prominent 

 part of the seed. Where it 

 occurs in fields, it loses largely 

 its nutritive value if cut in the 

 blossom. It is regarded in Eng- 

 land as one of the most valu- 

 able of the native pasture grasses, 

 forming there a very considerable 

 portion of the sward, vegetating 

 with great luxuriance, and start- 

 ing up vigorously when eaten off 

 by stock, producing seed in abun- 

 dance, and enduring any amount 

 of forcing and irrigation. It does 

 not acquire its full perfection and 

 hold of the soil until three or 

 four years after being sown. The 

 aftermath exceeds the flowering 

 crop in quantity as well as in 

 nutritive matter. The grass loses 

 seventy per cent, of its weight in drying, and the hay contains 

 about sixty-seven hundredths per cent, of nitrogen. 



The seed of meadow foxtail is covered Avith the husks of the 

 flower, soft and woolly, while the larger valve is furnished with 

 an awn. There are five pounds of seed in a bushel, and 76,000 

 seeds in an ounce. An insect attacks the seed while it is forming, 

 and it is also subject to blight, and hence the seed is some- 

 what difficult to procure and is held at a high price. We have 

 many grasses superior to it for cultivation, but for permanent 



Fig. 6. Meadow Foxtail. 



