86 On Natural Grasses. 



G. W. 1 34 *. This is one of the earliest of the permanent pasture 

 grasses, and there is no natural pasture of a feeding quality, that 

 does not contain a proportion of this species. It comes into flower in 

 April or early in May, according to the soil and local climate. The 

 seed is ripe in the first or second week of June. The chemical ex- 

 amination of its nutritive matter, shews, that it does not abound in 

 saccharine matter, hut chiefly in mucilage ; and the insoluble extract, 

 is in a larger proportion than in some other grasses. Its merits how- 

 ever, in respect to early growth, its continuing to vegetate and throw up 

 flowering stalks till the end of autumn, and its hardy and permanent 

 nature, sufficiently uphold its claim to a place in the composition of 

 all permanent pastures, particularly in every instance where the soil 

 is of a medium quality as to moisture and dryness. The superior 

 nutritive properties of the lattermath of this grass, are a great recom- 

 mendation for the purpose of growing, the stalks being of but little 

 utility, as they are generally left untouched by stock when there is a 

 sufficiency of herbage. It is said to give to new mown hay, that de- 

 lightful smell which is peculiar to it ; and if it is not the sole cause of 

 that pleasant scent, it is certainly more powerful, when the sweet 

 scented vernal enters largely into the composition of the hay. 



Dactylis glomerata. Round panicled cocksfoot grass. Hort. 

 G. W. p. 136. Although the cocksfoot grass seldom comes into 

 flower until June, yet it is early in the produce of herbage, and it is 

 superior to most other grasses in its reproductive powers, for it springs 

 rapidly after being cropped, whether by the scythe or by stock. It is 

 essential, to the reaping in full, all the superior advantages which this 

 species of grass offers to the grazier, that it should be kept rather closely 

 cropped, and never suffered to grow old and tufty, the quality of the her- 

 bage being much deteriorated by that circumstance ; and that the nutri- 

 tive matter afforded by the rank or old herbage of this grass, is nearly one 

 half less than is contained in that of recent growth, and it is evident- 

 ly less grateful to stock. In the pastures most celebrated for fatten- 

 ing and for keeping the largest quantity of stock in Devonshire, Lin- 

 colnshire, and in the vale of Aylesbury, cocksfoot is found in every 

 instance to constitute a proportion of the herbage. In the most 

 skilfully managed of these pastures, the foliage of cocksfoot grass is 

 scarcely to be distinguished from that of the finer leaved grasses, 

 prevalent in these celebrated pastures, as the Alopecurus pratensis^ 

 Poa pratensis, Festuca pratensis, Cynomrus cristatus, Poa trivialis, 

 Lolium perenne, &c. The peculiar compressed channelled leaf, 

 glaucous colour, and upright habit of growth of the cocksfoot, there 

 alone distinguish it ; but the tufty or hassocky and coarse appear- 

 ance, which characterise it when cultivated by itself, or in an imper- 

 fect combination with other grasses, or under defective management 



Hortus Gramineus Woburnensis, in which this and all the essential perma- 

 nent pasture grasses are figured and botanically described, with an account or 

 statements of their comparative produce and nutritive powers, given in detail, 

 from the result of many years' actual cultivation, to which the reader is referred 

 for these particulars. 



