48 MINUTES OF 



On Natural Grasses. 



flo-^red spikelets, -which are-less compressed, yet longer than calyx. 



This is a most excelleut grass, both for pasture and hay. The foliage of 

 this grass is early, but not very abundant, and is highly acceptable to Sheep 

 aiid Cattle. It is apt '^ run into flowering stems, and therefore requires to be 

 close fed down ; and as it secretes and lays up a magazine of saccharifie nutri- 

 mciit, particularly in the joints of its stem, so it affords more nourishment to 

 horses Avhen made into hay thin any other of the natural grasses, and it does not 

 affect their wind : hence it is particulary prefetable fd hunters and racers. 

 VIII. CvxosuRus Cristatus. Crested dog's-tail. 



C^/j/^' bivalve, many-flowered; Receptacle proper unilateral, leafy. 



■DoGSTAiL with pinnate-distichous mutic bractes, and simple linear spike. 



Perennial, flowering in Jul)% 



Root fibrose, turfy. Stems (or culms) several, upright, strict, a foot high, 

 leafy, above naked, round, striated, and very smooth. Stipule short, obtuse, 

 eroded. Spike simple, linear, obtuse, strict, (unilateral, one-sided) Avith sub- 

 flexu/9se, angular, smooth midrib. Spicules alternate, ova:te, many-flowered, 

 subsessile. Calycine glumes, linear, acute, keeled, rough on the keel. Flos- 

 cules alternate, subturaid, scarcely carinated, towards the tip rough, sharp- 

 pointed. Bractes pectinated, composed, (according to Stokes) of abortive, al- 

 ternate, distichous, compressed-carinated glumes, which are rough on the 

 back, sharp, and scarcely awncd. 



This grass is not very productive of foliage, is apt to run into flowering 

 stems ; and grows naturally in dry situations. 



IX. Triticum Repens. Creeping wheat, or couch grass. 



Wheat with subulate, many-nerved, five-floweretl calyces, acuminate 

 floscules, flat leaves, and creeping root. 



Perennial, flowering from June to September. 



Root very creeping, jointed, coated, Avith downy fibres. Culm erfct, 

 two-feet high, slender, round, striated, leafy. Leaves very spreading, sub- 



