70 MEADOW SPEAR GRASS. 



and irriagted land, yet the water should not be suff- 

 ered to rest upon it; the ground should be cleaned 

 and pulverized, and the cuttings scattered over the 

 surface, after which it should be slightly covered 

 with loose* earth, or with peat or wood ashes, and 

 earth well mixed. These cuttings are prepared in 

 the simplest manner by twisting the strings into loose 

 rope about the thickness of the arm, and then cutting 

 them with an axe or hedge-bill (bill hook) upon a 

 plank into lengths about three inches and one half. 

 When the crop comes up, it should be carefully 

 weeded two or three times the first year; after which 

 there will be no occasion for a repetition of that pro- 

 cess. 



For sowing on land in moist situations, Forin is 

 well deserving ol cultivation. There is no grass per- 

 haps of which cattle are so fond either in a green or 

 dried state, and on land on which I have seen it 

 grow, it seems to be of a perpetual nature. From 20 

 to 24 pounds is required per acre. 



CHAPTER XXV. 



MEADOW SPEAR GRASS, NERVED MANNA GRAS3. 



(Glyceria Nervatd) Specific Character. 



Branches of the loose panicle capillary, at length 

 drooping, the very numerous small spikelets ovate 

 oblong 3 to 7 flowered ; leaves rather long. Moist 

 meadows very common. Flowers in June. Ob- 

 servations. Panicle often half a foot and more in 



