Naturalisation in Extra-Tropical Countries. 67 



sativa L.) is descended from this plant. Cultivated in California for 

 fodder, as indeed it was in ancient times, but requiring early cutting 

 as it matures and sheds its 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. 



A vena flavescens, Linn. (Trisetum Jlavescens, 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 [Langethal]. It is richer in potash than many other 

 grasses [Stebler.] 



Avena pratensis, 



Meadow Oat-grass. 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, Linn6. 



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, Linn.* 



The Common Oats. In Middle Europe cultivated before the 

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

 de Candolle regards it as probably indigenous to Eastern temperate 

 Europe, particularly the Austrian Empire, thence perhaps extending 

 to Siberia. Prof. Haussknecht, on linguistic researches, favours the 

 idea, that the A. sativa was gradually derived from A. fatua (Linne), 

 the Wild Oats of Europe and Northern Asia ; thus it is really also of 

 British origin. Annual. Important for fodder, green or as grain 



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