GRASSES 



are the fescue, foxtail, and meadow 

 grass. Agriculturists, indeed, are not 

 all agreed on the comparative merits 

 of these grasses with rye grass ; but 

 there are none who do not consider 

 it advisable to introduce a portion of 

 each, or most of these species along 



with rye grass, in laymg down lands 

 to permanent pasture. 



" Of the fescue grass there are 

 three species in the highest estima- 

 tion as meadow hay grasses, viz., the 

 meadow, tall, and spiked fescue {Fig. 

 2, a, b, c). 



Tajl hay grasses of permanent duration. 



" The F. pralcnsis (a), or the mead- \ 

 ow or fertile fescue grass, is found ' 

 indigenous in the United States, in 

 most rich meadows and pastures, and 

 is highly grateful to every description 

 of stock. It is more in demand for 

 laying down meadows than any other 

 species except the rye grass. 



" The tall or infertile fescue grass 

 (Fcstucaelatior, E. B.,h) is indigenous, 

 and closely allied to the Fcsluca pra- 

 tcnsis, from which it differs in lillle 

 except that it is larger in every re- 

 spect. The produce is nearly three 

 times that of the F. pratensis, and the 

 nutritive powers of the grass are su- 

 perior, in direct proportion, as six to 

 eight. The proportional value which 

 the grass at the time the seed is ripe 

 hears to the grass at the time of flow- 

 ering is as twelve to twenty. The 

 proportional value which the grass of 

 the latter-math bears to that of the 

 crop is as sixteen to twenty, and to 

 the grass at the time the seed is ripe 

 as twelve to sixteen inverse. Curtis 

 observes that, as the seeds of this 

 plant, when cultivated, are not fertile, 

 it can only be introduced by parting 



F F 



its roots and planting them out ; in 

 this there would, he says, be no great 

 difficulty, provided it were likely to 

 answer the expense, which he is 

 strongly of opinion it would in certain 

 cases ; indeed, he has often thought 

 that meadows would be best formed 

 by planting out the roots of grasses, 

 and other plants, in a regular manner ; 

 and that, however singular such a 

 practice may appear at present, it will 

 probably be adopted at some future 

 period ; this great advantage would, 

 he says, attend it, noxious weeds 

 might be more easily kept down, un- 

 til the grasses and other plants had 

 established themselves in the soil. 



" The spiked fescue grass, or dar- 

 nel fescue grass {Fcsluca loliacea, 

 Linneus, c), resembles the rye grass 

 in appearance, and the tall fescue 

 grass in the infertility of its seeds. 

 It is considered superior to rye grass 

 either for hay or permanent pasture, 

 and improves in proportion to its age, 

 which is the reverse of what takes 

 place with the rye grass. 



" The meadow foxtail grass {Alope- 

 curus pratensis, d) is found indigenous 



337 



