Cultivation oj Arable Land Hard Fefiuc, Crefted Dog s-tail, Grajfts. 3-23 



duftive, confequently cannot be confidcred as in any way fit for a hay grafs.* It 

 is faid by fome to be capable of thriving on any foil/ but bed on thofe of the light 

 fpongy kinds, as it can live with lefs moidure than mod other grafTes. And it is 

 afferted to be one of the excellencies of this grafs, that it will eftablifh itfelf upon 

 fuch foils as fcarcely any other plant can be made to fucceed on ; being of courfe 

 of much utility in covering barren fpots, that might otherwife have remained 

 uncovered fora great length of time, -j- 



Ochers however obferve, that if it were fown on rich moid foils, the grades and 

 other plants, which are natural to fuch lands and fituations, would foon overpower 

 it, and in a very fhort time there would fcarcely be a blade remaining to be feen 

 on the ground. And were it for the purpofe of fheep feed to be fown on the high 

 down and heath lands, the animals would darve upon them in dry fummcrfeafons.+ 

 Where a clofe matted turf, without a great produce, is required, it may, however, 

 be found ufeful. 



Hard Fefcue.h This is an early and productive grafs with fine foliage, which 

 OTOWS well on downs and rich meadows. It is well adapted for being combined 

 with other grades in forming fheep padures ;|| and by fome it is faid to conditutc 

 the bed hay. Mr. Saliiburyhas not found the fame fault in the culture of this 

 o-rafs as is mentioned by Mr. Curtis, which is, that it is apt to become thin and 

 almod difappears after a while; on the contrary, he finds it (lands the dried foil 

 equal to any, gets matted together and forms a mod delightful turf in very dry 

 weather. 



Crejled Dog s-tail Grafs.*; This is a g-rafs that has been much recommended as 

 a favourite and wholefome food for flieep. It is found in the founded and bed 

 padures, but grows bed in dry fituations, and will not thrive in meadows that are 

 very moid. It flowers nearly at the lame time as the Meadow Fefcue Grafs, but 

 is not very productive of foliage.** The appearance of its bents in poor, high, 

 moid padures, fuggeds the idea of its being an indifferent plant. But its abound 

 ing in mod of the riched grazing padures in different parts of the kingdom, and 

 its being in fome the principal herbage, leads us to conclude that it is an ufeful 

 grafs. ft As its flowering dems and heads are fcldom confumed by cattle, its feeds 

 may be collected, where the padures are fed, with great facility ; and as they are 

 abundant, may be gathered by children at about one milling the pound. 



* Anderfon s Eflays, vol. II. i Curtis s Obfervations, &c. 



+ Curtis s Oblervations. ^ 1 cstuca (hiriusciila. || Sole in Bath Papers, vol. IX. 



5[ Cynosnnts cristatus. * * Ibid. 



tt Young in Communications, &c. vol. III. and Marflmll s Rural Economy. 



Tt 2 



