Book VI. HAY GRASSES. 821 



which he is strontjly of opinion it would in certain cases ; indeed he has often thought that meadows 

 would be best fornied by planting out the roots of grasses, and other plants, in a regular manner; and 

 that, however singular such a practice may appear at present, it will probably be adopted at some future 

 period : this great advantage would, he says, attend it, noxious weeds might be more easily kept down, 

 until the grasses and other plants had established themselves in the soil. 



5108. The spiked fescue grass, or darnel fescue grass, (JFVi/wca Mtacea, L. c), resem- 

 bles the rye-grass in appearance, and the tall fescue grass in the infertibility of its seeds. 

 It is considered as superior to rye-grass either for hay or permanent pasture, and im- 

 proves in proportion to its age, which is the reverse of what takes place with the rye- 

 grass. 



5109. The meadoiv fox-tail grass [Alopecurtis pratensis, d) is found in most mea- 

 dows, and when the soil is neither very moist nor very dry, but in good heart, it is 

 very productive. It also does well on water meadows. Sheep and horses seem to have 

 a greater relish for this grass than oxen. In the Woburn experiments, it was tried 

 both on a sandy loam and a clayey loam, and the result gave nearly three-fourths of pro- 

 duce greater from a clayey loam than from a sandy soil, and the grass from the latter is 

 comparatively of less value, in proportion as 4 to 6. The straws produced by the 

 sandy soil are deficient in number, and in every respect less than those from the clayey 

 loam ; which will account for the unequal quantities of the nutritive matter afforded by 

 them ; but the proportional value in which the grass of the lattermath exceeds that of the 

 crop at the time of flowering, is as 4 to 3 : a difference which appears extraordinary, 

 when the quantity of flower-stalks which are in the grass at the time of flowering is con- 

 sidered. In the anthoxanthum odoratum the proportional difference between the grass 

 of these crops is still greater, nearly as 4 to 9 ; in the poa pratensis they are equal ; 

 but in all the latter flowering grasses experimented upon, the flowering straws of which 

 resemble those of the alopecurus pratensis, or anthoxanthum odoratum the greater pro- 

 portional value is always, on the contrary, found in the grass of the flowering crop. 

 Whatever the cause may be, it is evident that the loss sustained by taking the crops of 

 these grasses at the time of flowering is considerable. The proportional value which the 

 grass at the time of flowering bears to that at the time the seed is ripe, is as 6 to 9. 

 The proportional value which the whole of the lattermath crop bears to that at the 

 time the seed is ripe, is as 5 to 9, and to that at the time of flowering, proportion- 

 ably as 13 to 24. Next to the fescue, tliis grass is in the greatest reputation for 

 laying down mowing grounds ; but it is unfortunately subject to the rust in some 

 situations. 



5110. Of the meadoiu grass there are two species in esteem as hay plants, the smooth- 

 stalked, and roughish. These plants compose the greater part of the celebrated Or- 

 cheston meadows near Salisbury, and also of the meadows near Edinburgh. 



5111. The great or smooth-stalked meadow grass, the spear grass of America, (Po 

 pratensis, e) is distinguished by its height, smooth stem, and creeping roots. According 

 to Sole it is the best of all the grasses : its foliage begins to shoot and put on a flne 

 verdure early in the spring, but not so soon as some other grasses. Every animal that 

 eats grass is fond of it ;"'while it makes the best hay, and affords the richest pasture. 

 It abounds in the best meadows about Laycock and Chippenham, and has the valuable 

 property of abiding in the same land, Avhile most other grasses are continually changing. 

 According to some it delights in rather a dry than a moist soil and situation, on which 

 account it keeps its verdure better than most others in dry seasons; but it thrives most 

 luxuriantly in rich meadows. 



.5112. By the Woburn experiments, the proportional value in which the grass of the lattermath exceeds 

 that of the flowering crop, is as 6 to 7. The grass of the seed-crop, and that of the lattermath, are of 

 equal value. This grass is, therefore, of least value at the time the seed is x\\tig ; a loss of more than one- 

 fourth of tlie value of the whole crop is sustained if it is not cut till that period : the straws are then dry, 

 and the root-leaves in a sickly decaying state : those of the lattermath, on the contrary, are luxuriant 

 and healthy. This species sends forth fiower-stalks but once in a season, and those being the most valu- 

 able part of the plant for the purpose of hay, it will, from this circumstance, and the superior value of the 

 crass of the lattermath, compared to that of the seed-crop, appear well adapted for permanent 

 pasture. It was of this grass that the American prize bonnet, in imitation of Leghorn, was manufac- 

 tured by Miss Woodhouse. 



5113. The roughish meadow grass (Pan triuialis, L. f) delights in moist, rich, and 

 sheltered situations, when it grows two feet high, and is very productive. By the 

 Woburn experiments, it appears that the proportional value in which the grass of the 

 sfcedcrot) exceeds that at the time of flowering, is as 8 to 11. The proportional value 

 by M'hich the grass of the lattermath exceeds that of the flowering crop, is as 8 to 12, 

 and that of the seed crop as 1 1 to 1 2. Here then is a satisfactory proof of the superior 

 Value of tlie crop at the time the seed is ripe, and of the consequent loss sustained by 

 taking it when in flower ; the produce of each crop being nearly equal. The deficiency 

 of hay in the flovi^ering crop, in proportion to that of the seed crop, is very striking. Its 

 superior produce, the highly nutritive powers which the grass seems to possess, and the 

 season in which it arrives at perroclion, are merits wliich distinguish it as one of the mo.st 

 valufible of tho'iC grasses, which affect moist rich soils, and sheltered situations ; but on 



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