298 HORTUS GRAMINEUS WOBURNENSIS. 



Native of Britain. Root annual. 



Experiments. At the time of flowering, the produce from a 

 rich brown loam is 



Produce per Acre, 

 dr. qr. Ibs. 



Grass, 30 oz. The produce per acre 20418 12 



80 dr. of grass weigh, when dry 34 ^ 



The produce of the space, ditto - 204 J 



The weight lost by the produce of one acre in drying 1 1740 12 8 



64 dr. of grass afford of nutritive matter 30^ 



The produce of the space, ditto 22 2 J 



This, like the preceding species of Bromus, is strictly annual. 

 It is much less common than the Bromus sterilis : Hudson informs 

 us that it grows on old walls in the neighbourhood of London and 

 Oxford. Birds seldom touch the seeds ; but this appears to be 

 more owing to the season in which it is presented to them, than to 

 any defect in the quality of the seed ; as there is then a profusion 

 of food of a more welcome nature. The above details shew the 

 produce of this grass in one year ; which, when compared to that 

 of the least valuable of the perennial grasses, proves inferior, and 

 ranks it with the grasses of little use to the Agriculturist. The 

 panicle, when in flower, constitutes the principal weight of the 

 produce : the nutritive matter it contains, bears a similar propor- 

 tion to that afforded by the culms and leaves conjunctly, as was 

 shewn to exist between those parts of the Bromus sterilis. 



It flowers in the third week of June, and the seed is ripe about 

 the middle and latter end of July. 



BROMUS tectorum. Nodding Panicled Brome-grass. 



Specific character : Panicle branches drooping ; spikelets linear, 

 pubescent; florets distant, awned, awn as long as the glume; 

 leaves pubescent. 



Obs. This species is readily distinguished at first sight from 

 several of the annual species of Bromus, by its drooping 

 pubescent panicle ; and the membraneous silver-like edges 

 of the husks, which are more obvious when the plant is in 

 a growing state than in a dried specimen. Schrader de- 

 scribes it in its natural place of growth, as attaining the 

 height of twelve inches ; culm erect, but always decumbent 

 at the base, round, striated, smooth, often pubescent towards 

 the top, joints two or three ; sheath-scale short, obtuse, 



