144 GRASSES. 



Tall Oat-grass (^Avena elaiior) flowers in June, and, 

 though coarse, is very profitable when closely fed down, 

 It is very luxuriant in its growih, and makes tolerable 

 hay, to which a little salt applied when laid down in 

 the mow would he an improvement. All animals that 

 are commonly fed with hay, eat it with pleasure. It 

 has two advantages over Herds-grass, — earliness, and 

 great after crop ; and would probably answer well for 

 ^oiling, as it starts very early, and grows very late. It 

 produces well both in good and bad soils, — but should 

 be cut in flower while the stalk is fine and tender. 



Fo's'l Meadozv Grass (^Poa aviaria.) It acquired this 

 name by being supposed to be brought to a meadow in 

 Dedham, Massachusetts, by water fowl. It is an excel- 

 lent grass for wet meadows, affording very good hay for 

 horses, and neat-cattle particularly. Mr. Eliot thinks 

 drained swamps are a very proper soil for the cultiva- 

 tion of this grass ; and observes that it keeps green for 

 a long time, so that it may be mowed at any time from 

 July to October ; and that it is so fruitful as to produce- 

 three tons of hay on an acre. 



Siriped-leavcd reed grass^ (^Phalaris arundinacea .) Tins 

 like the last does well on wet soils. This grass (in the 

 Appendix to Davy's Elements of Agricultural Chemis- 

 try) is said to succeed on almost any soil, — but is par- 

 ticularly luxuriant on strong moist lands. The strong 

 nutritive powers which it possesses, recommend it to the 

 notice of occupiers of such lands,-^-which cannot be 

 drained. Its produce is great, and the foliage will not 

 be denominated coarse, if compared with those which 

 afford a produce equal in quantity. We have made trial 

 of it; andlRnd it will flourish on common loam, spread- 

 ing freely by its roots. Some of it in a dried state, of- 

 fered to oxen, was readily eaten. 



Cichory: or Succory^ {^Cichorium intyhus^'^ is a hardy 

 plant, and may be found beneficial on poor sandy or 

 gravelly soils. For feeding cattle, it is usually sown 

 with oats, or other spring grain ; but for soiling it is 

 sown alone. Mr. Yovn^ thinks it best to be drilled alone 

 on poor land, in rows about nine inches asunder. On 

 large tracts of poor land, it is thought it would incr ;'re 

 the produce ten fold. Cichory is very luxurinnt, and 

 will admit of being often cut for soiling. It may also 



