CLASS III. ORDER II. j CYXOSURUS. 146 



wth two lateral, green, roughish ribs, and a bifid apex. Stig)Ka* 

 spreading, feathery. Anther yellow, brown, or purplish. 



Specimens may occasionally be observed, varying considerably from 

 the general appearance of the plant ; having a short, dense, scarcely 

 branched panicle, with the outer valve of the glumella much elongated. 



Habitat. Meadows, hedges, and waste places; very abundant. 



Perennial ; flowering from June to August. 



As a pasture grass, this is undoubtedly one of the best of our native 

 grasses, very productive, and highly nutritious ; but if allowed to grow 

 rank and coarse, either from the want of more frequent cropping or 

 mowing, it loses much of its nutritive matter; hence its greater value 

 as a pasture grass than for hay : " yet even for this purpose," observes 

 >lr. Sinclair, " it will be found more valuable than Rye-grass, Lolium 

 perenne, and many other grasses. The produce does not increase if 

 left standing after the time of flowering, but rather decreases in the 

 weight of root leaves ; and by reason of the rapid growth of the latter 

 math, which succeeds an early cropping, the loss incurred by letting 

 this hay crop stand for seed, will be found considerable." In the 

 selection of grasses either for pasturage or mowing, the nature of the 

 soil upon which they are to be sown must be duly considered. The 

 loss in not attending to this important particular, is witnessed in the 

 failure of the attempts to renew original pastures in rich meadow lands, 

 by the neglect in selecting the seeds of those grasses suited to the soil 

 and situation. It is true that Nature herself will, in the course of 

 time, produce those kinds of grasses suited to the soil, and they only 

 will remain permanent ; but if, by the observance of her laws, we can 

 assist her in the process, and accomplish that in a short time which 

 would otherwise have required a long period, then knowledge and art 

 will have advanced to their confines ; for the laws of Nature, although, 

 they may be perverted, still remain unchanged. In illustration of 

 these remarks, the Dactylis glomerate furnishes an excellent example. 

 In a soil of a porous nature, its fibrous roots penetrate to a considerable 

 depth, the plant flourishes well, producing a remarkable quantity ol 

 herbage, and remains permanent. If, on the contrary, it is sown in a 

 situation where the surface of the soil is thin, upon a cold weLclay, it 

 succeeds very imperfectly, or altogether fails : its produce at first may 

 be abundant, but this is not permanent ; its roots are small and short, 

 the plants are easily pulled or trodden up by cattle, and from the same 

 cause, should dry or hot. weather occur, the produce will gradually 

 diminish, and at length the plant will altogether disappear. 



GENUS XLIII. CYNOSU'RUS. LINN. Dog's-tail-prass. 



GEN. CHAR. Panicle spiked. Spikelets two or many-flowered, fixe"<l 

 upon pectinate bracteas. Glumes two, equal. Glwntlle* two, 

 VOL. i. o 



