432 PHYSIOLOGY AT THE FARM. 



in great abundance, afford but little nourishment to cattle, 

 and as such is really worthless. The seeds are in great request 

 among small birds. It flowers in the third week of July, 

 while the seeds ripen near the end of August. Its limit of 

 altitude does not exceed 500 feet above the level of the sea. 

 It is recommended as one of the plants to be sown for 

 pasturage and cover in thick shady woods, to the extent of 

 3 Ib. per imperial acre. A bushel of the seeds averages 1 5 lb., 

 and the number of seeds in an ounce is about 8600. 



Cynosurus. Cynosurus is the genus to which is referred 

 the well-known grass, the crested dog's-tail grass, under the 

 name of Cynosurus cristatus. It is a fibrous-rooted perennial, 

 and reaches from 12 to 18 inches in height. It flowers in the 

 first week of July, and ripens its seeds in the second week of 

 August. It is produced naturally in old pastures, on moist 

 and dry, as well as heavy and light soils, but is most abundant 

 in pastures at low and medium altitudes. Its limit of altitude 

 is not, however, low, since it reaches the height of 2000 feet. 

 It thrives better in tenacious soils than in those of a drier or 

 sandy nature, and in irrigated meadows it reaches an uncom- 

 mon size. In general it yields but a scanty crop of herbage, 

 but forms a smooth turf, and is one of the best grasses for fine 

 lawns. For permanent pastures it is a most valuable grass, 

 but is not well adapted for hay, as the stems when dry are hard 

 and tough, while at the time the seeds are ripe they contain 

 but little nutritive matter ; when in flower, however, the grass 

 is succulent and tender, affording twice as much nourishment 

 as at a later period, so as to be the favourite food of deer and 

 sheep. The stems are valuable for the manufacture of straw 

 bonnets, and are said to be even preferable to the Italian straw. 

 It is, as might be supposed, one of the plants recommended to 

 be sown for fine lawns, bowling-greens, &c., kept constantly 

 under the scythe, in the proportion of from 5 lb. to 7 lb. per 



