NORTH-CAROLINA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 151 



AtOPECURUS PRATENSIS MEADOW FOXTAIL GRASS. (Fig. 7.) 



Its blossoms are arranged in dense cyl 

 indrical spikes, quite similar to the timo 

 thy, but may be distinguished from it 

 by having one paleoe. Its stem is erect, 

 smooth, and from two to three feet high. 

 The spike is shorter than the spike of the 

 phleum pratense, and is also softer. 



This crass has received but little atten- 



o 



tion in this country. It is esteemed in 

 England, where it is a native, though it 

 is indigenous to nearly every country in 

 Europe. This grass is specially adapted 

 to pasturage, as it vegetates with great 

 luxuriance, and starts up vigorously when 

 eaten off by sheep or cattle. It produ 

 ces seed abundantly, and hence stocks 

 itself; moreover, it bears forcing and ir 

 rigation. It is late in arriving at matu 

 rity requiring full three or four years 

 to come to perfection and hence is not 

 well adapted to an alternate husbandry. 

 In one or two respects it is more valua 

 ble than timothy, as it yields a large af 

 ter-math, whereas the timothy yields but 

 a small one, unless it is growing under 

 the most favorable circumstances. Mea 

 dow foxtail forms a good sward and hence 

 for permanent pasturage it is eminently 

 adapted. 



This grass too, is better adapted to gen 

 eral cultivation than the timothy as it ear 

 ly grows rapidly, and thrives well on all 

 soils, except on very dry sands. It, how 

 ever, thrives best on rich, moist, strong 

 &amp;lt; FIG - 7&amp;gt; ) soils, and its nutritive matter increases 



in proportion to the strength of soil on which it is grown. It 

 grows in the New England, the Middle States, Ohio and Ma 

 ryland and it is believed that it will grow well in the South- 



