152 HORTUS GKAM1NEUS WOBURNENS1S. 



Ibs. 



The Festuca pratensis, as above - 1403 



The weight of nutritive matter, in which the cock's- 

 foot exceeds the meadow fescue when taken as hay 

 crops, per acre is 1418 



Or the cock's-foot grass is superior, in point of produce, to the 

 meadow fescue, in the proportion nearly of 2 to 1 . But for 

 grazing, the latter-math produce of the meadow fescue must 

 be brought forward ; in this case it approaches nearer to cock's- 

 foot in value, and increases its superiority, in point of produce, 

 over the meadow foxtail. 



The meadow fescue constitutes a very considerable portion of the 

 herbage of all rich natural pastures and irrigated meadows ; it 

 makes excellent hay, and though a large plant, the leaves or 

 herbage are succulent and tender, and apparently much liked by 

 cattle, as they never form rank tufts, which is the case with the 

 larger grasses. It does not appear to arrive at its full productive 

 powers from seed so soon as either the cock's-foot or fox-tail 

 grass, and though essential for permanent pasture, is not by itself 

 very well adapted for the alternate husbandry, but should be com- 

 bined with cock's-foot, rye-grass, and rough-stalked meadow-grass. 

 Mr. Taunton's experience of this grass on a stiff clayey soil proved, 

 that a copious crop of seed-stalks may be obtained the second 

 year from sowing. Flowers in June, and ripens the seed at the 

 end of July and the beginning of August. In the deep alluvial 

 soils in Lincolnshire, this grass is not so prevalent as in the clay 

 districts. In the vale of Aylesbury it constitutes a considerable 

 portion of the most valuable and fattening pastures of that rich 

 grazing district. 



CYNOSURUS cristatus. Crested Dog's-tail Grass. 



Specific character : Spike simple, linear ; neuter spikelets with- 

 out awns. Sm. Engl. Fl. p. 137. Fig. 1. Spikelets, shewing 

 the floral leaves and neuter florets. 2. Ditto, mag. 3. Floret, 

 4. Germen, valves, or nectary. 



Obs. Floral leaves deeply divided into awl-shaped segments. 

 Husks generally containing three flowers. Smaller valve of 

 the blossom ending in two points : larger valve ending in a 

 short awn. Florets all facing one way. This grass is often 

 viviparous ; in wet seasons, I have found it generally so, in 

 Woburn Park under the trees. I have found the Alopecurns 



