AGRICULTURE AND PLANTING. 43 



On Natural Grasses. 



I. Anthoxanthum Odoratum. Sxveet scented Vej'tial Grass. 

 Cal. glume bivalve, one-flovered. Cor. glHme bivalve, a.\fxi^^eed single. 

 Anthoxantii with ovate oblong spike, and subpedunculated flosculeslon- 



ger than the awns. 



I* 



Perennial, flowering in May. 



Root fibrose, subpubescent. Stems a foot high, simple, slender, furrowed, 



« 



smooth, here and there jointed, naked at the upper part. Leaves shorf, flat, • 



sharp-pointed, bright-green ; stem-leaves very short, spreading, with extremely 

 long and slightly ventrjcose sheath, which is furrowed and bristled at the open- 

 ing. Stipule lanceolate, ierect, sharp, many -flowered. Flowers brae teolated. Ca- fSf 

 lycine glumes sheathing, scariose, sharp, sometimes hairy, with a green rough 

 keel; the interior twice as long, and three nerved. Petals subequal, ferruginous, 

 bristly, shorter than calyx, awned on the back towards the base, with unequal 

 awns, of which the longest is jointed. Nectary twice as short as the petals, two- 

 leaved, smooth, and ovate. Anthers linear. Styles white, and at length ex- 

 serted. Stigmas thread shaped, villose. The spikes, after impregnation, grow 

 yellow. The smell of the dried plant approaches to that of sweet Woodruflfe, and 

 is liffhter than that of holcus odoratus. 



r Though this grass is not so productive as some, yet it is valuable as an early 

 grass, and for its readiness to grow in all kinds of soils and situations. Cattle and 

 sheep appear to be very fond of it. 



This plant belongs to Class II. Diandria. Order Monogynia, 

 IL Alopecurus Pratensis. Meadow Fox-tail Grass, 



Fox-TAiL with upright smooth stem, sublobate spike, and calyciiie glumesr 

 villose and cpnnate at the base. 



Perennial flowering in May. 



Root fibrose. Stem two feet high, leafy, smooth. Leaves smoothish, glauces- 

 cent, with a short, subpubescent stipule. Spike simplish, scarcely panicled, dense, 

 upright, biuncial, soft, many-flowered. Glumes all nearly equal, lanceolate, com-. 



