SWEET SCEXTED YEENAL. 57 



CHAPTER XVII. 



SWEET SCENTED VERNAL. 



Anthcxanthum Odoratum Specific Character. 



Spikelets (brownish or tinned with green), spread- 

 ing at flowering time ; one of the neutral flowers, 

 bearing a bent awn from near its base, the other 

 short awned below the tip. Perrennial. Flowers in 

 May and ripens in June. 



WAY'S ANALYSIS 



100 parts as taken gr^en. from the field May 26th. 



Water 80.35 



Albuminous or iiesh forming' principles .,. , 2.05 



Fatty matters . - .67 



Heat producing principles, starch, sugar, gum, etc 8.54 



Woody fibre , 7.15 



Mineral matter or Ash.. 1.24 



100.00 

 100 parts of the grass dried at 212 C> Fahr. 



Albuminous or flesh forming principles 10.43 



Fatty matters. 3.41 



Heat producing principles, starch, sugar, gum, etc 43.48 



Woody fibre...... _.. 36.38 



Mineral matter or Ash... 6.32 



100.00 



This is one of the earliest of the English grasses, 

 and grows on almost any kind of soil. Although 

 neither very productive nor nutritive, and far from 

 being a favorite to cattle when given them alone. It 

 yet possesses the peculiar value of being the only 

 fragrant plant natural to English fields, and imparts 

 the delightful perfume so perceptible in new hay. 

 It indeed forms a part of the herbage on all good 



