890 



PRACTICE OF AGRICULTURE. 



Part III. 



5669. Of the fescue grass there are three species in the highest estimation as meadow 

 hay grasses, viz. the meadow, tall, and spiked fescue, (fg. 790. a, b, c.) 



5670. The F. p^atensis (a), or the meadow or fertile fescue grass, is found in most rich meadows and 

 pastures in England, 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. By the Woburn experiments, the value of 

 this grass at the time the seed is ripe, is to that of the grass at the time of flowering, as 6 to 18. The loss 

 which is sustained by leaving the crop of this grass till the seed be ripe is very great. That it loses more 

 of its weight in drying at this stage of growth, than at the time of flowering, perfectly agrees with the 

 deficiency of nutritive matter in the seed crop, in proportion to that in the flowering crop : the straws 

 being succulent in the former, they constitute the greatest part of the weight; but in the latter they are 

 comparatively withered and dry, consequently the leaves constitute the greatest part of the weight It 

 may be observed here, that there is a great difference between straws or leaves that have been dried after 

 they were cut in a succulent state, and those which are dried by nature while growing. The former re- 

 tain all their nutritive powers ; but the latter, if completely dry, very little, if any. 



5671. The tall or infertile fescue grass {Festuca el&tior E. B. b) is closely allied to the Festuca pratensis, 

 from which it differs in little, except that it is larger in every respect. The produce is nearly three times 

 that of the F. prat($nsis, and the nutritive powers of the grass are superior, in direct proportion, as G to 8. 

 The proportional value which the grass at the time the seed is ripe, bears to the grass at tne time of flower, 

 ing, is as 12 to 20. The proportional value which the grass of the lattermath bears to that of the crop, is as 

 16 to 20 ; and to the grass at the time the seed is ripe, as 12 to 16 inverse. Curtis observes, that as the seeds 

 of this plant, when cultivated, are not fertile, it can only be introduced by parting its roots and planting 

 them out ; in this there would, says he, be no great ditiSculty, provided it were likely to answer the ex- 

 pense, 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, until the 

 grasses and other plants had established themselves in the soil. 



5672. The spiked fescue grass, or darnel fescue grass (Festuca toli&cea L. 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. 



5673. The meadow fox-tail grass (-(^lopecurus pratensis, d) is found in most mea- 

 dows ; and when the soil is neither very moist nor very dry, but in good heart, it is 

 very productive. It also does well on water meadows. Sheep and horses seem to have 

 a greater relish than oxen for this grass. 



5674. In the Woburn experiments, it was tried both on a sandy loam and a clayey loam, and the result 

 gave nearly three fourths of produce greater from a clayey loam than from a sandy soil, and the grass 

 from the latter is comparatively of less value, in proportion as 4 to 6. The straws produced by the 

 sandy soil are deficient in number, and in every respect less than those from the clayey loam ; w^hich 

 will account for the unequal quantities of the nutritive matter afforded by them ; but the proportional 

 . value in which the grass of the lattermath exceeds that of the crop at the time of flowering, is as 4 to 3 : a 

 diffference which appears extraordinary, when the quantity of flower-stalks which are in the grass at the 

 time of flowering is considered. In the Anthoxanthum odorktum the proportional difference between the 

 grass of these crops is still greater, nearly as 4 to 9 ; in the Poa pratensis they are equal ; but in all the 



