IN EXTRA-TROPICAL COUNTRIES. 41 



chosen for dry and barren tracts of country, it having proved to 

 resist occasional droughts even better than Rye-Grass. The bulk 

 yielded by it is great ; it submits well to depasturing, and gives two 

 of three crops of hay annually ; it is however not so much relished 

 by animals as many other grasses. 



Avena fatua, Linne. 



Wild Oat. Europe, North Africa, North and Middle Asia, east- 

 ward as far as Japan. The experiments of Professor Buckmaii 

 indicate that our ordinary Culture Oat (Avena sativa, L.) is 

 descended from this plant. 



Avena flavescens, Linne. (Trisetum jlavescens, Beauv.) 



Yellowish Oat-Grass. Europe, North Africa, Middle and North 

 Asia, eastward as far as Japan. One of the best of perennial 

 meadow-grasses, living 011 dry soil ; fitted also for our Alps. Law- 

 son observes that it yields a considerable bulk of fine foliage, and 

 that it is eagerly sought by sheep, but that it thrives best inter- 

 mixed with other grasses. It likes particularly limestone soil, 

 where it forms a most valuable undergrass, but is not adapted for 

 poor sand, nor will it stand well the traversing of grazing animals 

 (Langethal). 



Avena pratensis, Linne. 



Meadow Oat-Grass. Europe, North Asia. It thrives well on dry 

 clayey soil j it produces a sweet fodder, but not in so great a pro- 

 portion as several other less nutritious grasses. It is perennial, 

 and well adapted for our snowy mountains, where it would readily 

 establish itself, even on heathy moors. Recommended by Lange- 

 thal for arid ground, particularly such as contains some lime, being 

 thus as valuable as Festuca ovina. Eligible also for meadows under 

 a system of irrigation. 



Avena pubescens, Linne. 



Downy Oat-Grass. Europe, North and Middle Asia. A sweet 

 perennial grass, requiring dry but good soil containing lime. It is 

 nutritious and prolific. One of the earliest kinds, but not well 

 resisting traffic. Several good Oat-grasses are peculiar to North 

 America and other parts of the globe. Their relative value as fod- 

 der-grasses is in many cases not exactly known, nor does the limit 

 assigned to this treatise allow of their being enumerated on this 

 occasion. 



Avena sativa, Linne. 



T^e Ordinary Oats. In Middle Europe. Cultivated already before 

 the Christian era. Annual. Important for fodder, green, or as 

 grain for the latter indispensable. Fit for even poor or moory or 



