Naturalisation in Extra-Tropical Countries. 61. 



seeds in July. For this reason it is also hard to exterminate it in 

 grain-fields, where it sometimes proves quite troublesome, unless 

 by change of crops. 



Avena flavescens, Linne. (Trisetum flavescens, Beauvois.) 



Yellowish Oat-grass. Europe, Northern Africa, Middle and 

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

 perennial meadow-grasses, living on dry soil ; fitted also for alpine 

 regions. Lawson observes that it yields a considerable bulk of fine 

 foliage, and that it is eagerly sought by sheep, but that it thrives 

 best intermixed 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 [Laiigethal]. It is richer in potash than many other 

 grasses [Stebler]. 



Avena pratensis, Limn'. 



Meadow-Oatgrass. Europe, Northern Asia. Indigenous in 

 Norway to lat. 66 40' [ Schuebeler] . It thrives well on dry clayey 

 soil, is well adapted also for alpine mountains, where it would 

 readily establish itself, even on heathy moors. It produces a 

 sweet fodder, but not in so great quantity as several other less 

 nutritious grasses. It is perennial, and recommended by Langethal 

 for such ground as contains some lime, being thus as valuable as 

 Festuca ovina. Eligible also for meadows, especially under a 

 system of irrigation. 



Avena pubescens. Linne. 



Downy Oat-grass. Europe, Northern and Middle Asia. A sweet 

 perennial grass, requiring dry but good soil containing lime ; it is 

 nutritious and prolific, and 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. The relative value for 

 fodder is in many cases not exactly known, nor does the limit 

 assigned to this volume allow of their being enumerated specially. 



Avena sativa, 



The Common Oats. In Middle Europe cultivated before the 

 Christian era and in Switzerland already at the Bronze-age. A. 

 de Condolle regards it as probably indigenous to Eastern temperate 

 Europe, particularly the Austrian Empire, thence perhaps extend- 

 ing to Siberia. Prof. Haussknecht, on linguistic researches, favors 

 the idea, that the A. sativa was gradual^ derived from A. fatua 

 (Linne), the Wild Oats of Europe and Northern Asia. Annual. 

 Important for fodder, green or as grain for the latter indispens- 

 able. Fit for even poor or moory or recently drained land, though 

 not so well adapted for sandy soil as rye, nor well available for 

 calcareous ground ; resists wet better than other cereals ; best 

 chosen as first crop for inferior land, when newly broken up ; 



