92 On Natural Grasses. 



These four species of grass are very similar in their habits, but dif- 

 fer as to their comparative value for agricultural purposes." One va- 

 luable property is common to all the three, the power of withstanding 

 the bad effects of drought. In this respect they are superior to any 

 of the grasses before named, and being nutritive, succulent, and form- 

 ing a close turf, one or other of them is essential as an ingredient in 

 the composition of a pasture of the best quality. The first mentioned, 

 is common to all rich natural pastures, and irrigated meadows of the 

 best quality. It keeps its place in rich soils, in company with grasses 

 of large growth, where it assists greatly in forming a close bottom ; 

 but, on sandy soils and down lands, it is of very great value, as it 

 thrives well in such situations, and is less injured by the extreme of 

 hot dry weather than most other grasses, and in these situations it is 

 one of the principal grasses. The Welsh fescue is inferior to the hard 

 fescue, but is a good substitute for it, when the seed can be more 

 readily procured, or when the seed of the former is not to be obtained. 

 The long-awned sheep's fescue is adapted for dry sandy soils ; its pro- 

 duce is considerable, compared with that of other fine leaved or down 

 grasses ; and could the seed be obtained in sufficient quantity, and at 

 a cost proportionably low for farm practice, it would be preferable to 

 the Festuca duriuscula on dry soils, and at least of double the value of 

 the sheep's fescue on its own peculiar soil. 



Although the smooth leaved fescue cannot be recommended in pre- 

 ference to the hard * fescue, yet for soils of a medium quality as to 

 moisture and dryness, it will be found the best substitute. There is 

 another species, Festuca rubra, which belongs to this group of the fine 

 leaved fescues, with powerfully creeping roots. It is chiefly confined 

 to the blowing sands of the sea coast, and in that situation, it is highly 

 useful, in arresting the dispersion of the sand by the wind, and con- 

 sequently of any inroad by the seaf . 



Avenajlavescens, H. G. W. p. 161, Golden oat-grass, Yellow oat- 

 grass. This is a very common pasture-grass in all loamy, calcareous, 

 and drained clayey soils. It prevails in all the pastures near London. 

 On very dry soils, its produce is worthless, but, when combined with 

 the sweet scented vernal crested- dogstail, and meadow barley grass, 

 its produce is considerable. Its nutritive matter contains more bitter 

 extractive and saline matters, than is afforded by those grasses with 

 which it is usually combined. Sheep and deer eat it in common with 

 the produce of those grasses. It flowers in July, and the seed is ripe 

 in August. 



Holcus lanatus, H. G. W. p. 163, Woolly soft -grass, Yorkshire fog, 

 Yorkshire whites. The great objections to this grass are its light 

 woolly texture, affording little nourishment in proportion to the bulk 

 of its produce, being disliked by stock when in a green or hay state, 



* The name hard or hardish, as applied to this species of grass, is not very ap- 

 propriate, inasmuch as its foliage is soft and succulent. The circumstance of 

 its being often found on hard dry soils, may probably have procured it the de- 

 signation. 



f The Poa niariiinut, Arnndo arenaria, and Elymu* arenarius, are generally 

 found in union with the Fesluca rubra, constituting the foundation of the bar- 

 rier. 



