42 



hay-making purposes as, in the latter case, it gives a good deal 

 of bottom-forage, increasing consequently greatly the bulk. It 

 being, moreover, one of the later varieties, it has the advantage 

 of producing a fresh, young grass at the time when the early 

 varieties have ceased to thrive so well as they did in the earlier 

 period of their vegetation. Though, on account of its fine-seeded 

 grain in not top great a proportion, it should never be left out of 

 a mixture for permanent pasture. 



It is furthermore a very useful grass for fine lawns and pleasure- 

 grounds, on account of its short growth, deep-green and fine-leaved 

 foliage, so that it is highly recommendable for that purpose and 

 is always being used in a fair proportion in lawn-mixtures. In 

 America this is considered one of the most valuable of all the 

 lawn grasses its stoloniferous roots forming a close turf and its 

 fine texture and deep-green colour being greatly appreciated. It 

 seems to bear constant walking over in the most remarkable way 

 and is therefore indispensable for golf-course, croquet- and cricket- 

 field mixtures, as well as general lawn formulas. 

 



Agrostis emmimm ^Rhode-Island Bent-grass}. Except that this 

 variety is of a more tuft-forming habit, much of the foregoing 

 may be said of it, although it is by a long way not so productive 

 of either fertile stems or foliage; our experience is, that though 

 it does not require quite so good a soil and may just as well be 

 sown on a lighter ditto, it cannot equal either in quantity or in 

 quality the Agrostis stolonifera^ which is a softer, tenderer plant, 

 whereas the Agrostis canina tends to go hard and strawy and, 

 therefore, when it has reached that stage is not so well-liked by 

 the cattle. 



It is, however, a useful grass for lawns. Many seedsmen use it 

 just as freely for that purpose as the Agrostis stolonifera. 



The common name : Rhode Island Bent indicates American origin, 

 although the variety is really a native of Europe. In America it 

 is nowadays very difficult to find true canina, the vulgaris or 

 ordinary Red-top being generally mistaken for it. Experienced 

 seedsmen, therefore, prefer to import their Rhode-Island Bent 

 direct from Europe where stocks are more dependable, or to use 

 and recommend where circumstances permit the superior variety 

 stolonifera. Agrostis canina is decidedly the inferior of the two 

 for lawn-purposes, in this respect, that its foliage is by a long way 

 of not so deep-green a shade as that of the first-described species, 



