CH. VIIl] 



Crested Dog's-tail 



143 



of soils. Very little growth takes place during the first year after 

 sowing, and full development is not attained until the third 

 season. Its tufts are small and compact and most of the leaves 

 are formed near the ground. It is therefore essentially a " bottom " 

 grass capable of forming a com- 

 pact turf and is especially suitable 

 for permanent grazing land. It 

 is also suitable for temporary 

 pasture of four or more years' 

 duration, as well as for garden 

 lawns, cricket grounds, etc. Its 

 nutritive value is said to be high, 

 and it certainly forms a large per- 

 centage of the herbage in several 

 of our most famous grazing 

 districts and on many celebrated 

 natural sheep pastures. Some- 

 times owing to its ready produc- 

 tion of seed it tends to- spread 

 and occupy too large a proportion 

 of the ground. In such cases it is 

 advisable to graze heavily until 

 the end of June so as to keep 

 down the flowering culms while 

 they are in a succulent condition. 

 Its most rapid growth takes place 

 about midsummer. As very little 

 "top growth" is produced its 

 contribution to a hay crop is 

 small and it should be omitted 

 from mixtures for meadow land. 



Commercial Seed. 



Most of the seed formerly came 

 from the Continent especially 



Holland. In recent years, however, the North of Ireland has 

 become one of the main sources of our supply. It frequently 

 contains numerous kinds of weed seeds, e.g. Crepis virens, Holcus 

 sps., Lapsana communis, Poa annua, Festuca Myurus, Sonchus 



Fig. 157. A tuft of Crested 

 Dog's-tail. Note the short basal 

 leaves and the numerous wiry 

 culms. 



