CHAPTER XL 



MEADOW FOXTAIL. 



Meadow Foxtail (Alopecurus pratensis) is a grass 

 plant that has attained much popularity in England and 

 also in some other parts of the continent of Europe. In 

 appearance it bears no little resemblance to timothy, but 

 the leaves are shorter and the heads also are shorter, 

 broader, softer and more velvety. The whole plant is 

 more smooth and soft than timothy. Moreover it is 

 ready for being grazed much earlier than timothy. It 

 also comes into flower several weeks earlier than that 

 plant. 



This perennial grass in its habit of growth is consid- 

 erably like timothy. The plants grow singly and dis- 

 tinct and when not too crowded each throws up several 

 spikes, but when overcrowded many of the plants will 

 not come into head at all. While the height attained va- 

 ries much, the average height may be put at from 18 to 

 24 inches, but in rich situations the stems may attain 

 the height of 3 feet. The leaves are quite numerous and 

 the spikes are from 2 to 4- inches long and about one- 

 four! h of an inch in diameter. The root is short and 

 creeping, but it has considerable power to retain its 

 hold upon the soil. It grows very quickly, especially 

 early in the season, and is one of the first grasses to 

 furnish pasture. At the Ontario Agricultural College 



