Cultivation of Arable Land Meadow Vox tail Grafs. 319 



confequcntly equally valuable as an early grafs ; and as it is much larger and quicker 

 in its growth, it is of courfe much more productive : it (hoots very rapidly after 

 mowing, producing a very plentiful aftermath: and where the land is rich, and 

 two crops are not thought too much for it to bear, of all thegraiTes of this climate 

 it appears to be the rnoft adapted for fuch a purpofe, and ought to form a principal 

 part of the crop in fuch cafes. Its foliage may feem coarfe to fome ; but it muft 

 be kept in mind that no grafs can be productive that is not in fome degree coarfe. 

 If it be mown early, juft as it comes into bloom, though the leaves are large, the 

 hay will not, however, be coarfe. In general, the great advantage proceeding 

 from the earl inefs of thefe two grafies is entirely loft in thofe diftricts where 

 hay-making begins at a late period &amp;gt; and \vhereacropofindifcriminate herbage 

 is waited for by the cultivator. 



It is in fome meafure diltinguifhed by the largenefs of its foliage, and by its 

 producing a foft fpike on a long ftalk about the beginning of May. This is a 

 great objection to it, as the feed cannot be always obtained in plenty.* On a 

 fituation where it was perfectly eftablimed with thick herbage it was found to 

 produce but few feed-ftems.f 



In refpect to the places of its growth, it is more confined than the firft fort, grow, 

 ing naturally in a moift foil only : on this account fome think it beft adapted for 

 improving fuch wet grounds as may be drained of their fuperfluous moifture, or for 

 forming or meliorating meadows that have a moift bottom, and are not apt to be 

 burnt up in dry fummer feafons.J Others, however, fuppofe that there is fcarcely 

 a better grafs for moift loams and clays, as it is extremely early, and abides nine or ten 

 years on foils upon which the Meadow Fefcue gives way to thofe of other kinds. || 

 It has likewifc by fome been found hardier againft froft and exccflive cold.^[ 

 Others fpeak of it as excellent, both for pafture and hay, as being highly product- 

 rive, and the firft as a dairy grafs.** The feeds are eafily collected, according to 

 the accounts of fome accurate obfervers;tf but a great number of them, in certain 

 feafons, are liable to be deftroycd by a very minute orange coloured larva, or 

 maggot, which feeds on the embryo of the feed, and moft probably produces fome 

 fmall fpecies of fly.jt 



Great or Smooth-flatbed Meadow Grafs. In this grafs the foliage alfo begins to 



* Young in Communications, &c. vol. III. f Ibid. 



I Curtis sObfervations. || Young in Communications to the Board of Agriculture, vol. Ill* 



If Mr. Majendie. ** Sole in Bath Papers, vol. IX. 



it Martyn s Flora Rustica, vol. I. and Curtis s Obfervations. JJ Ibid. ^ Poa protensis* 



