FESTUCA. 



FEVERFEW. 



Festuca rnbra. Creeping or purple fescue- 

 grass. There are two varieties of this species ; 

 one with narrow bristle-shaped root-leaves, and 

 the other with broader leaves. It has much 

 affinity to the F. duriusmla, from which it is 

 however distinguished by the leaves, which are 

 broader and longer, and the branches of the 

 panicle are also longer. 



The creeping fescue has no sufficient merit 

 over those species it resembles in habit to 

 compensate for the impoverishing effects of its 

 roots to the soil. 



J-'fftura sylvatica. Slender wood fescue-grass, 

 or the wood brome-grass of some botanists. 

 The general appearance of this grass promises 

 but little to reward the labours of the experi- 

 mental!^. 



Fesluca uniglumis. Single -husked fescue- 

 grass, found on the sandy sea-coast, chiefly of 

 Sussex ; it possesses no agricultural merits, 

 and Sinclair does not even notice it. 



Festuca vivipara. Viviparous fescue-grass. 

 The roots, leaves, and general habit nearly 

 agree with the F. ovina, of which most botanists 

 have esteemed this a variety. This grass forms 

 a curious exception to the general law of na- 

 ture in the propagation of plants by their seed. 

 It has every part of a flower, except the two 

 most essential ones, for its propagation, namely 

 stamens and pistils. Yet from this imperfect 

 flower it produces perfect plants. The rudi- 

 ment of the future plant originates in the upper 

 floret of each spikelet, and in its first stage ap- 

 pears like a minute globule of water, scarcely 

 visible to the naked eye ; but after the spike is 

 developed, it gradually assumes an oblong 

 figure, becomes pointed, and at last puts forth a 

 single leaf, after the manner of perfect seed of 

 grasses ; other leaves succeed to this, till the 

 weight of these (now a perfect plant of grass, 

 except the root) forces it to fall from the spike 

 to the ground, or bends down the spike, where 

 it soon strikes root. This grass continues vi- 

 viparous on all soils. Many other grasses are vi- 

 viparous, as Jllopecurus pratensis, Cyriosurus cris- 

 tatus, Poa alpina, Phleuni pratense, Anthoxanthum 

 odoratum, &c. ; but in these the seed is first 

 perfected, and merely vegetates in the husk 

 from accidental circumstances, such as grow- 

 ing in shaded places, and from long continu- 

 ance of moist warm weather. 



This grass, which is natural to alpine situa- 

 tions, can only be propagated by parting the 

 roots, or by planting the young plants formed 

 in the ear. But from the trials that have been 

 made of it, it appears to have no excellence 

 that can recommend it to the notice of the 

 agriculturist. 



The species found in the United States, are, 

 1. F. totclla, little, or slender fescue, frequent 

 on dry sterile banks, and the borders of woods, 

 a slender, wirv l'Me plant of little or no value 

 to the farnier, and generally confined to poor 

 soils. 2. F. flat tor, or Full futue, a perennial, 

 found frequently in swampy meadows and low 

 grounds, dowering like the former in June and 

 July. According to Dr. Darlington, this species, 

 which he supposes to come from Europe, is a 

 .arger plant than the slender fescue, to which 

 it is nearly allied, but not so valuable. 3. 

 Alcadow fescue, a much more valuable grass, 

 472 



according to Dr. Darlington, than the F. clatior, 

 to which it is so closely allied that it may be 

 doubted whether it is more than a variety. It 

 is a naturalized foreigner that has found its 

 way into all the best meadows and pastures of 

 the Middle and many other States of the Union. 

 4. Nodding fescue (F. nutans) found in moist 

 woodlands. It is not a grass of much value, 

 being rather solitary in its habits, and chiefly 

 confined to woodlands. Eight or nine addi- 

 tional species of fescue have been described in 

 the United States. (See Darlington's Flor. Ce*> 

 trica ; NuttnWs Genera.} 



FETLOCK. In horsemanship, the part of 

 the leg where the tuft of hair grows behind 

 the pastern joint of horses : those of low size 

 have scarcely any tuft. In working horses, 

 which have them large with much hair, care 

 should be taken to keep them clean, in order 

 to prevent the grease. The fetlock-joint is a 

 very complicated one, and from the stress 

 which is laid on it, and its being the principal 

 seat of motion below the knee, it is particularly 

 subject to injury. An affection of this part 

 should be well fomented and immediately 

 blistered. (The Horse, p. 252; Clater's Far. 

 p. 258.) 



FETTER. A term applied to the chain used 

 for confining the legs of animals. 



FEVERFEW (Pyrethrum ; from pyr, fire, 

 the roots being hot to the taste). Of this in- 

 teresting European genus of plants, the Matri- 

 cctria of Linnaeus, three species only are in- 

 digenous to England. 



1. The common feverfew (P. parthenivm), 

 a biennial which grows in waste grounds, 

 hedges, and walls, flowering in June or July. 

 Root tapering, small, and white ; stem erect, 

 branched, leafy, round, many flowered, about 

 two feet high ; leaves stalked, of a hoary 

 green, pinnatifid. Flowers numerous, like 

 daisies, white or yellowish, in a corymbose 

 panicle, sometimes compound, on long naked 

 stalks, erect, about half an inch broad. The 

 whole plant has a strong disagreeable smell, 

 a bitter taste, and yields a volatile oil by dis- 

 tillation. It was formerly reckoned tonic, 

 stimulating, and anti-hysterical, and the oil 

 is still regarded as such. It contains much 

 tannic acid ; and in Germany it has been 

 usefully employed in tanning and currying 

 leather. 



2. The corn feverfew, or scentless May- 

 weed (P. inodorum), is very common in culti- 

 vated fields, and by waysides, on gravelly soils. 

 Root tapering, rather large, annual, flowering 

 in August or September. Herb nearly desti- 

 tute of the peculiar agreeable or disagreeable 

 odours of its tribe. Stem branched, spreading, 

 leafy, angular, smooth. Leaves sessile, pin- 

 nate. Flowers as in the last. The seeds 

 crowned with a membrane, the best diagnostic 

 character of the species. 



3. The sea feverfew (P.maritinum'), a peren- 

 nial, flowering in July or August, is found on 

 the sea coast in sandy or stony ground. The 

 thick, woody, long-enduring root runs deep 

 into the ground, producing a number of hollow 

 stems, spreading circularly on the ground, o 

 ten tinged with purple. Leaves crowded, ses- 

 sile, doubly pinnate, of a dark shining green 



