218 COMMON WEEDS 



main axis or stem. The stoloniferous plant is often 

 confounded with true " Couch," and, like A. vulgaris 

 (below), is commonly included in the term couch," 

 " twitch," or " squitch." 



The grass more generally known as Florin is Creep- 

 ing Bent-grass, a variety named Agrostis stolomfera 

 Koch, closely resembling A. atba, but with more pro- 

 nounced stolons, rooting at the nodes of the procumbent 

 stems and rapidly spreading. On moist soils, wet 

 meadows, and near rivers, it quickly crowds out other 

 grasses. This grass is sometimes recommended as a 

 useful species in moist mountainous districts, especially 

 on account of its late growth in autumn, but as it may 

 crowd out other species, and the seed is difficult to 

 obtain pure, it should in general be avoided. It may 

 sometimes be useful in a pasture, but is objectionable 

 in the hay-field. 



Fine Bent-grass or Black Couch (Agrostis vulgaris 

 With.) closely resembles the species already described, 

 but the branches of the fruiting panicle are spreading. 

 It is quite as useless as A. alba, and owing to its 

 creeping stems is nearly as troublesome as true Couch 

 in arable land. (See p. 132.) 



Brown Bent-grass {Agrostis canina L.) grows on 

 wet peaty soils and heaths. It differs from the three 

 grasses mentioned above in having an awn on the 

 flowering glume. 



In grass land the Bent-grasses are only reduced by 

 constant manuring and good management, and the 

 application of lime (see p. 149). (As regards arable 

 land, see p. 128.) 



Wavy Hair-grass {Air a flexuosa L.) often occurs 

 abundantly on dry pastures and sandy heaths. It is 

 an erect, slender perennial of about i to 2 feet high, 

 with short, narrow, curved leaves. The panicles of 



