HORTUS GRAMINEUS WOBURNENSIS. 



367 



spring, and does not come into flower till after that species has 

 nearly perfected its seed. It cannot, therefore, be recommended 

 for the purposes of the Agriculturist. 



Flowers about the latter end of July, and ripens the seed in 

 August. 



ELYMUS Sibericus. Siberian Lyme-grass. 



Specific character : Spike pendulous, like an arch ; spikelets 

 longer than the calyx. Hort. Kew. i. p. 176. 



Obs. Culm round, smooth ; leaves roughish, vagina smooth. 

 This plant does not accord exactly with the description of the 

 Elymm Sibericus of Gmelin : he says the spike is close or con- 

 tracted ; but in this grass the spike is mostly branched, or is 

 in fact a panicle ; the branches are confined, however, to the 

 middle of the rachis, occupying about one-third of its length ; 

 both extremities are contracted, and spike-like. On very 

 poor soils the branches hardly appear. The calyx is hardly 

 half the length of the spikelet. The edges of the spikelet 

 are tinged with a reddish purple colour. Hort. Gram. Fol. 

 265. 



Native of Siberia. Root, on a moist or clayey soil, biennial; 

 on a sandy soil it continues several years. 



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

 rich sandy soil is 



Grass, 24 oz. The produce per acre 

 80 dr. of grass weigh, when dry 

 The produce of the space, ditto 



dr. 



28 

 134 



qr. 



Produce per Acre. 



Ibs. 

 16335 





 If 



5717 4 



The weight lost by the produce of one acre in drying 10617 12 

 64 dr. of grass afford of nutritive matter 2 1 < 

 The produce of the space, ditto - 13 2 J 



574 4 7 



The produce of this grass is very coarse, and the weight of the 

 crop, therefore, though considerable, is comparatively of no value. 

 It is a native of Siberia, and withstands the effects of the severest 

 continued frost, but not sudden changes from frost to mild 

 weather. It requires to be sown every year, and treated as an 

 animal. It comes into flower the second season, about the second 

 or third week in June, and continues to emit flowering culms till 

 autumn. The seed is ripe in about three weeks after flowering. 



