438 PHYSIOLOGY AT THE FARM. 



the extent of from 1 Ib. to 1 Ib. per imperial acre. A bushel 

 of the seeds weighs 12J Ib., while the number of seeds in an 

 ounce is about 33,000. 



The Festuca loliacea, called also Bucetum loliaceum, has 

 several English names. It is called spiked fescue-grass, slender 

 fescue-grass, rye-grass fescue-grass, and darnel-spiked fescue- 

 grass. It is a fibrous-rooted perennial. It grows from one to 

 two feet high. It flowers in the second week of July, but the 

 seeds seldom attain to perfection. It grows naturally in moist 

 and rich meadows, affords a good permanent pasture-grass. It 

 is well suited to moist or marshy alluvial soils and irrigated 

 meadows. The cultivation of this grass by seed is difficult, 

 owing to the small quantity of perfect seed produced, while to 

 transplant the roots is a greater expense than the value of the 

 grass would bear. 



It is one of the plants recommended to be sown in lands 

 in preparation for irrigation and in marshy grounds, and such 

 as are occasionally overflowed by fresh-water tides, in the pro- 

 portion of from 1 to 3 Ib. per imperial acre. A bushel of the 

 seeds weighs 1 5 Ib., and the number of the seeds in an ounce 

 is about 24,700. 



The grass known as sheep's fescue-grass is named in botany 

 Festuca ovina. It is a fibrous-rooted perennial. It grows 

 from three to nine inches high. It flowers in the second week 

 of June, and ripens its seed about the middle of July. It is 

 found at the height of 4000 feet above the sea-level, forming the 

 greater part of the sheep pasture-grounds in the Highlands of 

 Scotland. It is the favourite food of the sheep they prefer it 

 to all other grasses ; and, though small, it is very nutritious. 

 The smallness of its produce renders it quite unfit for hay. 

 According to Linnseus, sheep show no liking for hills or heaths 

 destitute of this grass. It retains its verdure throughout the 

 winter. 



