HORTUS GRAMINEUS WOBURNENSIS. 159 



touch, the grass is rendered of little value, and the seed not im- 

 proved in quality : the best part of the seed is either lost by 

 devouring birds or insects, or shaken out in the process of cutting 

 and collecting. I have made a number of experiments on the 

 seeds of grasses and other plants, by sowing at different degrees of 

 what is termed ripeness, and the results went always to prove the 

 truth of the above remarks ; also that diseased or imperfectly 

 formed seed always vegetated best when sown directly after being 

 separated from the plant. An ounce of this seed vegetated by this 

 treatment in three different trials ; the same seed, kept dry for two 

 months only, did not vegetate by the like means employed in 

 sowing, or any other that I attempted. I have repeated experi- 

 ments of this nature with much interest and care, but the principle 

 still remained unaltered. 



The produce of latter-math is 



Produce per Acre, 

 dr. qr. Ibs. 



Grass, 9 oz. The produce per acre 6125 10 



64 dr. of grass afford of nutritive matter 1 1 per a. 119 



From the above results it appears, that this grass is much inferior 

 to the Festuca duriuscula in the quantity of its produce, as well as 

 in nutrient qualities ; which will be evident on a comparison of 

 these properties, as mentioned in the foregoing details. It springs 

 rather earlier than the hard fescue, and also rises better after 

 being cropped, but not, apparently, in a sufficient degree to com- 

 pensate for its deficiencies in other respects. It is far from being 

 so common as the F. duriuscula, and inhabits the drier spots 

 of pastures. Flowers some days earlier than the F. duriuscula, 

 and ripens the seed about the same period as that grass. 



FESTUCA ovina hordeiformis. Long-awned Sheep's Fescue. 



Specific character : Panicle compact, branches subdivided, up- 

 right. Spikelets crowded, 6-10-flowered. Root-leaves thread- 

 shaped, stem-leaves very long. Fig. 1. Spikelet magnified. 

 2. Corolla, anthers, and loose-feathered stigmas, mag. 



Obs. In the first account of the results of these experiments, 

 this grass is received under the name of Festuca hordeiformis ; 

 though there are names received among Botanists not less 

 incongruous than this one, yet I am happy to agree with the 

 opinion of Mr. Sowerby in considering it a variety of the 



