94 On Natural Grastes. 



grass is chiefly confined to chalky soils, although occasionally found on 

 other sorts. It is one of the larger growing grasses on the soil it affects, 

 and so far is valuable as an ingredient in pastures of that description. 

 It is inferior in nutritive powers to several others. It flowers rather 

 early, but the growth of foliage is comparatively late. It should there- 

 fore be excluded from pasture land of the best quality, and only ad- 

 mitted into pastures on chalky soils. Pheasants are very fond of the 

 seed ; they frequently pick off the spikelets before the seed be per- 

 fected. 



Briza media, H. G. W. p. 206, Quaking grass, Ladies' tresses. 

 This grass is chiefly confined to poor clays, and the results of a sepa- 

 rate cultivation of it prove, that it does not possess merits sufficient 

 to entitle it to a place, in the composition of pastures of the best qua- 

 lity, but in secondary soils it is of value. 



Lolium perenne var. H. G. W. p. 211, 217. Different varieties of 

 rye-grass. There has been much difference of opinion respecting the 

 merits and comparative value of rye-grass. It produces an abundance 

 of seed, which is easily collected, and which vegetates readily on most 

 kinds of soil. It soon arrives at perfection, and produces, in its first 

 years of growth, a good supply of early herbage, which is much liked 

 by cattle. These merits have no doubt upheld it till the present day 

 in practice, as a favourite grass with farmers, and doubtless, for a one 

 year's ley, as in the alternate husbandry, it will continue to keep its 

 place. But for the purposes of permanent pasture, considered by it- 

 self, rye- grass is unfit ; although in a certain proportion, as an ingre- 

 dient in a mixture of various grasses, it is essential. The lattermath 

 of rye-grass is very inconsiderable, and the plant impoverishes the soil 

 in a high degree, if the culms, which are invariably left untouched by 

 cattle, are not cut before the seed advances towards perfection. When 

 this is neglected, the field, after midsummer, assumes the appearance 

 of a brown surface of withered straws. When a field is laid down to 

 grass, with rye-grass and clovers only, the first and second year of the 

 pasture is satisfactory, in some degree, as to spring feed, but the sum- 

 mer and after grass keep is very deficient, and, in the following years, 

 these grasses disappear ; and whatever grasses may be in the soil na- 

 turally, or brought on by manure, whether good or bad, they take pos- 

 session of the soil, and disappointment and loss follow, more or less, 

 according to circumstances. There are several varieties of rye-grass ; 

 the most important for permanent pasture are Pacey's, Russell's, Whit- 

 worth's and Stickney's. The first is in most general use, being adapt- 

 ed to most kinds of soil ; the second is best adapted for rich deep 

 lands ; it produces a large proportion of foliage, and comparatively less 

 culms or straw ; Stickney's, the next in order, has properties resem- 

 bling this, but in an inferior degree ; and the last-mentioned, has finer 

 foliage than the others, and is best adapted for culture on high or wold 

 lands. It is difficult to procure genuine seeds of the three last-men- 

 tioned kinds. 



Agrostis stolonifera, var. latifolia, H. G. W. p. 225, Broad-leaved 

 creeping bent or fiorin. This grass spreads out on the surface of the 

 soil, taking root at the joints in the manner of the strawberry plant, 

 which unfits it for depasturing when cultivated by itself; but this ob- 



