VALUE OF VAEIOUS GRASSES. 



17 



lowing table of analyses made by Professor Way. These are of 

 the green, fresh plants as taken from the field when in full growth. 



COMPOSITION OF NATURAL GRASSES, (100 PARTS,) TAKEN FRESH 

 FROM THE FIELD. 



Several of these grasses the oat grasses, quaking grass, orchard 

 grass, timothy, and blue grass, for instance are seen to be of high 

 nutritive value, but yet some of the other grasses and plants found 

 in good pastures are not to be despised on account of their seem- 

 ingly defective character as shown by these analyses. Some of the 

 less nutritious kinds are greedily eaten by sheep, and in furnishing 

 a change of diet, as well as by reason of their aromatic properties, 

 help to stimulate the appetite and preserve the health. 



Besides the grasses and other plants mentioned, there are sev- 

 eral having an aromatic or astringent character, which are pur- 

 posely introduced into pastures for their medicinal effect upon the 

 sheep. Parsley, Yarrow, and Wormwood are the plants chiefly 

 so used. Pcirsley, (Garum Petrosetinum, or Petroselinum sativum, 

 of the older authors), is a biennial plant well known as a garden 

 herb. It is greedily eaten by sheep, and acts upon the liver and 

 kidneys, or is so supposed to act ; for this reason it has been con- 

 sidered and recommended by shepherds as a preventive of those 



