GRASS. 



GRASS. 



would suffice for an acre, yet it is generally 

 propagated by stolones, or root-shoots. The 

 ground being previously prepared by plough- 

 ing, harrowing, and laying into ridges, the 

 shoots are deposited, touching each other at the 

 ends, in drill rows an inch or two deep and 

 about 6 or 9 inches apart. In 6 months, if the 

 planting be performed early in spring, the 

 whole surface will be covered with thick ver- 

 dure, affording, by autumn, a heavy crop. 



With regard to the last described grasses, 

 Mr. Loudon gives it as his opinion, that neither 

 florin, timothy, or floating fescue, is ever likely 

 to be cultivated in Britain, though, he observes, 

 the two latter may succeed well on the bogs 

 and moist, rich soils of Ireland, where, to second 

 the influence of the soil, there is a moist warm 

 climate. In regard to the merits of timothy, 

 the reports of several high authorities, one of 

 which (Donaldson) we have just quoted, seem 

 to lead to a very different conclusion. The 

 observation may be strictly applicable to florin 

 and floating fescue, both in England and Ame- 

 rica, although there may be some localities in 

 the United States into which one or other of 

 these may be advantageously introduced. 



PASTURE GRASSES. In regard to grasses for 

 pasturage, the following selection is given by 

 Loudon, as best adapted to three main pur- 

 poses; namely: 



For early pasture on all soils, the sweet ver- 

 nal grass (jlnthoxanthum odoratuni), the sweet- 

 scented soft-grass (Holcus odoratus), the downy 

 oat-grass (JLvena pubesccns), and the annual 

 meadow-grass (Poa annua). 



For late pasture on all soils, the different spe- 

 cies of Agrostis and Phleum. 



For pasture on poor or secondary soils, the crest- 

 ed dog's-tail (Cynosurus crisiatus), hard and 

 sheep's fescue (F. duriuscula and ovina), Poa 

 compressa, cristata, and angusti folia. 



The grasses which, according to Loudon, 

 afford most nutritive matter, in early spring, 

 are the foxtail grass and the vernal grass. 



The sweet-scented vernal grass (see PI. 6, a), is 

 common in almost all English pastures, and is 

 that which gives the fragrance to natural or 

 meadow hay. It is chiefly valuable as an early 

 grass ; for, though it is eaten by stock, it does 

 not appear to be much relished by them. It is 

 said to thrive best in lands that are deep and 

 moist, and even in peat bogs. Donaldson 

 places it in the lower order of the better 

 grasses. See ANTHOXAXTHUM ODORATUM. 



The dovmy oat-grass (see PI. 6, 6), according 

 to the Woburn experiments, possesses several 

 good qualities which recommend it to particu- 

 lar notice, as being hardy, early, and more 

 productive than many others which affect simi- 

 lar soils and situations. 



The annual meadow-grass (Poa annua, PI. 6, c), 

 is the most common of all grasses, being the 

 first herbage with which nature covers the 

 earth. The root is annual, and it is almost the 

 only grass that will grow in towns, or near 

 works where the smoke of coal abounds. 

 Though an annual grass, it is found in most 

 meadows and pastures perpetually flowering, 

 and affording an early sweet herbage, relished 

 by all stock, and of as great importance to birds 

 578 



[ as wheat is to man. It hardly requires to be 

 sown, as it springs up everywhere of itself. 

 However, it may not be amiss to sow a few 

 pounds of it per acre, whenever perpetual pas- 

 ture (not hay) is the object. 



The fine bent (Jigrostis vulgaris, see PI. 6, rf), 

 is one of the most common grasses, and one 

 of the earliest. See AGROSTIS VULOAIUS. 



The narrow-leaved meadow-grass (Poa angusti- 

 folia, see PI. 6, e), though it flowers late, is re- 

 markable for the early growth of its leaves, 

 which, according to the Woburn experiments, 

 attain to the length of more than 12 inches 

 before the middle of April, and are soft and 

 succulent; in May, however, when the flower- 

 stalks make their appearance, it is subject to 

 the disease termed rust, which affects the whole 

 plant, in consequence of which the produce of 

 the crop is deficient at the time the seeds are 

 ripe. (See POA ASTGUSTIFOLIA.) This grass is 

 evidently most valuable for permanent pas- 

 ture, for which, in consequence of its superior, 

 rapid, and early growth, and the disease begin- 

 ning at the straws, nature seems to have de- 

 signed it. The grasses which approach near- 

 est to this in respect to early produce of leaves, 

 are, the fertile meadow-grass, rough cock's-foot, 

 timothy, meadow foxtail, avena elatior, and bromus 

 littoreus, all grasses of a coarser kind. 



Late Pasture Grasses. Of these the principal 

 are timothy, and the various kinds of bent or 

 agrostis. The grasses which are propagated 

 by stolones, like florin, and others of the same 

 species, supply pasture throughout the year, 

 the concrete sap laid up in the joints of their 

 roots, rendering them good food even in 

 winter. 



Of Pasture grasses for inferior soils, one of the 

 most durable is the dog's-tail grass (Cynosurus 

 cristatus, see PI. 6,/), in England, a very com- 

 mon grass on dry, clayey or firm surfaces. In the 

 United States it is either little known, or slightly 

 estimated. The foliage is small and rather 

 late in the spring. The wiry stems are refused 

 by cattle, and become very unsightly, and from 

 the smallness of produce, and the dense tufts 

 formed at the roots, it is unfit for alternate hus- 

 bandry. But for pastures, and for all perma- 

 nent purposes, if the land be of a dry and hard 

 nature, and inferior in quality, and if sheep are 

 to be fed upon it, this grass must form, accord- 

 ing to Donaldson, a principal part of the mix- 

 ture of seeds sown for that purpose. It is not 

 at all adapted to low swampy situations, but 

 on poor, dry clays, and gravelly soils, it often 

 covers the ground and affords a bite where 

 every other grass had nearly failed. 



The hard fescue grass (Festuca duriuscula, see 

 PI. 6, g), is one of the best of the dwarf sorts 

 of grasses, grateful to all kinds of cattle. It is, 

 in England, present in most good meadows and 

 pastures, and with the sheep's-fescue is the best 

 for lawns. 



The smooth fescue (F. glabra, see PI. 6 h), 

 and long-awned sheep's-fescue (F.hordeiformis, 

 PI. 6, t), greatly resemble the hard fescue, and 

 may be considered equally desirable as pas- 

 ture and lawn grasses. 



The sheep's fescue (F. ovina, PI. 6, &), is one 

 of the principal pasture grasses for inferior 



