Cultivation of Arable Land. -Great or Smcoth-Jtalkcd Meadow Graft. 



(hoot and to affume a beautiful verdure at an early period in the fpring; but the 

 flowering ftems are not produced fo foon, by a week at lead, as thofe of the lad : 

 this flight difference, in point ofearlincfs of flowering, does not, however, prevent 

 it from being properly ranked with the two preceding graffes. Where early grafly 

 paflurage is the great object of the cultivaror,it cannot probably be better obtained 

 than by a judicious combination of thefe three graffcs. If quantity of crop be at 

 the fame time in view, the Meadow Fox-tail Grafs mould predominate in a 

 ; confiderable degree.* 



It in fome meafurc affects a rather dry than a moid lunation, on which account 

 4t keeps its verdure in long-continued dry feafons better than molt other forts; 

 but it is capable of thriving in either pretty well, though more luxuriantly in rich 

 meadows. It is liable to fome objection from its creeping root, which when 

 efbblifhed is difficult to extirpate : it fliould of courfe be cautioufly introduced 

 where the land is not intended to remain in a permanent date of f ward. -i- 



.By fome it is confidered, however, as a highly valuable grafs, as all animals 

 are fond of it ; and it affords the bell hay, as well as the richefl paflurage. In 

 addition to its other qualities, it has the property of abiding continually in the 

 fame ground, while mod other forts are liable to change. On rich loams it has 

 been found, by fome, a highly valuable grafs, fucceeding well with different cul 

 tivators.]] 



According to Mr. Curtis, this grafs is now readily diftinguifhed from the Com 

 mon or Rough-ftalked Meadow Grafs, as it has a fmooth flalk, while the other has 

 a rough one, which is perceptible when dra^n betwixt the thumb and finger, and 

 which proceeds from little (harp points, vifible when the fheaf of the leaf, which 

 covers the ftalk, is magnified ; befides, the latter has a long pointed membrane at 

 the bafe of the leaf, while in the former it has a fhort blunt one. And further, 

 it only throws up flowering-dcms or bent ones in a feafon ; from which pecu 

 liarity, combined with its hardinefs and verdure, it appears well-fuited for the 

 Jawns or grafs-plats of pleafure grounds. 



Not vrithftanding what has been juft obferved in regard to its property of re 

 maining in the land, in dry foils the crop from this grafs has fometimes been found 

 to diminifli in quantity annually, and to become ultimately very fmall, efpecially 



* Curtis s Practical Obfervations. 



i Curtis in Ibid. J Major Cartwright. 



|| Sole in Bath Papers, vol. IX. 



