On Natural Grasses. 91 



kept out of any combination of grasses intended for permanent pasture 

 on soils intended to be again brought under tillage. There is no spe- 

 cies of the proper pasture grasses more permanent than the narrow- 

 leaved poa. 



Poafertilis, Fertile meadow grass, Hort. G. W. p. 186. Is a native 

 of Germany, and possesses considerable merits. As regards early 

 growth, it ranks with the best of the spring productive grasses, and 

 the herbage is equal, if not in some cases superior, in fattening proper- 

 ties. The habit of sending up a succession of flowering culms during 

 the season is very powerful in this species ; hence it is better adapt- 

 ed for hay than for depasturing. A soil of a medium quality, as to 

 moisture and dryness, inclining to siliceous sand, is what it appears 

 most to affect. It flowers in the beginning of July, and the seed is 

 ripe towards the end of the month. 



Bromus arvensis, Field brome-grass. Hort. G. W.^. 173. 

 Bromus mollisy Soft brome-grass. Hort. G. W. p. 176. 

 These two species of brome-grass, too common in many pastures, 

 particularly the latter, are strictly annual plants, and, like corn, produce 

 much seed and little available herbage. The former is much less unpro- 

 fitable than the latter, for its roots do not penetrate deep ; the seed 

 is lighter, and does not exhaust the soil in an equal degree to the former. 

 It is also hardy. The seeds being shed early in the season, the plants 

 appear strong by the time winter begins, and during winter, and un- 

 til the culms begin to rise in the spring, and accordingly afford a por- 

 tion of the keep supplied by the pasture in which it may be. The soft 

 brome-grass, however, possesses these properties in so slight a degree, 

 that it cannot be considered otherwise that as a cumberer of the 

 soil, occupying the place of more profitable plants. Being strictly an- 

 nual, the easiest mode of eradicating them is by preventing them from 

 producing seed. This, pursued for two seasons, would clear the field 

 of these unprofitable plants. When they get into a pasture that is mown 

 for hay, whatever seed is not shed before reaping the crop is carried 

 with the hay, and returned to the field with the manure, so that their 

 propagation is doubly insured *. 



Festuca loliacea, Darnel-like fescue. Hort. G. W. p. 178. This 

 singular species of grass, whicii is believed to be a hybrid production 

 between the rye-grass and meadow fescue, as it divides the character 

 of both in its own, never produces any perfect seed. It is strictly 

 perennial, and possesses all the good qualities of rye-grass, and some 

 of those of the meadow fescue, but none of the defects as regards 

 early growth, produce and nutritive properties. In a piece of mea- 

 dow ground on the Trent, we found it to constitute the principal pro- 

 duce of the pasture. The defect of the seed, renders its merits un- 

 available for extensive farm practice. 



Festuca duriuscula, Hard fescue-grass. Hort. G. W. p. 155. 



Festuca cambrica, Welsh fescue. Hort. G. W. p. 157. 



Festuca ovina hordiiformis, Long-awned sheep's fescue. Hort. 



G. W. p. 159. 

 Festuca glabra. Smooth fescue. Hort. G. W. p. 1 80. 



Hence the Bromus mollis, is universally prevalent, in the pastures and hay 

 fields near London. 



