On Natural Grasses. 87 



in depasturing, entirely disappear, when under judicious culture, such 

 as that now alluded to. 



Besides being one of the most valuable of the pasture grasses, 

 cocksfoot is useful as a grass for the alternate husbandry, which 

 will be reverted to, when discussing the plants adapted for that bene- 

 ficial system. For the fullest demonstration of the utility of cocks- 

 foot grass, the farmer is indebted to Mr Coke of Norfolk. The seed 

 of cocksfoot is often defective, and a much larger measure of it is re- 

 quired, to produce a given number of plants, than that of rye-grass. 

 Its value as an alternate husbandry plant is well known. 



Alopecurus pratensis. Meadow foxtail-grass. Hort. G. W. p. 139. 

 In soils that are adapted to the habits of the meadow foxtail, indi- 

 vidually considered, it is one of the most valuable of all the grasses, 

 combining early growth, weight of produce, nutritive or fattening 

 powers, and permanency. Every description of stock eat it with avi- 

 dity. The culms are succulent, and are eaten in common with the 

 herbage. This property of the culms, renders it peculiarly valuable, 

 as a component part of hay. It comes early into flower, and the seed 

 is in general perfected, and dispersed by the winds, before hay-cut- 

 ting commences; yet notwithstanding this, the culms gain an accession 

 of nutritive matter from the time of flowering until the seed be ripe, 

 which is the case also with those of the Antlwxanthuiu odoratum. 

 This is not the case with the culms of the later flowering grasses, but, 

 on the contrary, the greater part afford the most nutritive matter at 

 the period of, or just immediately after, flowering ; a provision of Pro- 

 vidence, in the laws which govern the natural economy of this tribe 

 of plants, by which the early flowering of the culms of these two 

 species, is rendered beneficial, or adds to their value as food when 

 made into hay. It thrives well under irrigation, always, however, af- 

 fecting the crowns of the ridges. The soils which are only adapted to 

 the growth of this valuable grass, are those of an intermediate quality 

 ns to moisture and dryness. Wherever stagnant moisture exists, the 

 meadow foxtail cannot be cultivated, nor will it continue or be pro- 

 ductive on dry sandy soils. The seed also, is often defective, and oc- 

 casionally requires a large measure to produce a sufficiency of plants ; 

 add to which, the natural consequence of this, a high price, and its 

 merits for culture or farm practice is much lessened. It should have 

 been observed, that it is rather slower of growth, from a seedling state to 

 full maturity, than many other grasses, often requiring from two to four 

 years, according to the circumstances of soil and local climate, and 

 hence it is unfit for the purpose of the alternate husbandry. 



It constitutes a part of the produce of all fattening pastures in 

 Devonshire, Lincolnshire, Somersetshire and Wiltshire, which we 

 have specially examined. We found it more prevalent in Mr Westcar's 

 celebrated ox-pasture at Crcslew, in the vale of Ayleshury, than in 

 those of Devonshire and Lincolnshire. On the most careful estimate, 

 it constituted at least one-eighth part of the produce. 



Poa pratensiS) Smooth stalked meadow-grass. Hort. G. W. p. 142. 

 Except on dry soils, this species of meadow grass is one of the least 

 valuable. It has a strong creeping root, and when once in possession 

 of the soil, it is difficult to extirpate. Like all creeping-rooted plant*, 



