HORTUS GRAMINEUS WOBURNENSIS. 401 



very large and repeatedly, compound, as in Glyceria fluitans. 

 Sin". Engl. Fl. i. p. 128. 

 Experiments. About the middle of June, the produce from a 



rich black loam, is 



Produce per Acre, 

 dr. qr. Ibs. 



Grass, 8 oz. The produce per acre - - 5445 



80 dr. of grass weigh, when dry 28 > IQQZ 10 

 The produce of the space, ditto - 344 3 



The weight lost by the produce of one acre in drying 3539 4 



64 dr. of grass afford of nutritive matter 2 27 010 11 o 

 The produce of the space, ditto 50 5 



This, though a diminutive annual plant, is the most troublesome 

 weed that infests gravel walks, stone pitchings, and the like. It 

 continues to flower and produce seed all the spring, summer, autumn, 

 and even sometimes in the winter months. The seed is perfected 

 in a shorter space of time than that of any other species of grass, 

 or of any plant with which I am acquainted. It will produce 

 flowers and seeds, when it cannot attain to more than an inch in 

 height, from the soil being in the next degree to absolute sterility. 



Mr. Stillingfleet informs us,* that in some parts it is called 

 Suffolk-grass, there being whole fields of it in High Suffolk, 

 without any mixture of other grasses; and he expresses an opinion, 

 that it is likely to be the best grass for the dairy. But the dimi- 

 nutive size of the plant renders its cultivation unprofitable, com- 

 pared with that of any other of the pasture grasses; and, besides, 

 it is an annual, which, though it continues to produce flowering 

 culms during most part of the year, nevertheless, it is soon 

 injured by frost, and often killed by a continuance of dry weather. 

 How to extirpate it, therefore, is the point of most importance to 

 be ascertained. Some recommend boiling water to be poured on 

 the stone pitchings where it abounds ; but the most effectual 

 mode is to cover the spot with a layer of litter, or the mowings of 

 the lawn, in sufficient thickness to create fermentation. On 

 removing this, in the course of ten days or a fortnight, the Poa 

 annua, and most other weeds in the pitching, will be found com- 

 pletely destroyed. But the most effectual remedy to destroy 

 this grass when growing in pitchings, and on gravel and sand 

 walks, is, by an application of common salt, which, since the re- 

 duction of the duty on this article, can be had at a price that will 



* Tracts, page 383. 

 D 1) 



