180 TALL OAT GRASS. 



ENGLISH BENT (Fig. 64), known also by a great variety 

 of other names, is also largely cultivated in some sec- 

 tions. It closely resembles redtop, but may be dis- 

 tinguished from it by the roughness of the sheaths 

 when the hand is drawn from above downwards. It 

 possesses much the same qualities as redtop. 



MEADOW FESCUE (Fig. 65) is one of the most common of 

 the fescue grasses, and is said to be the Randall grass of 

 Virginia. It is an excellent pasture grass, forming a 

 very considerable portion of the turf of old pastures and 

 fields ; and is more extensively propagated and diffused 

 by the fact that it ripens its seeds before most other 

 grasses are cut, and sheds them to spring up and cover 

 the ground. Its long and tender leaves are much 

 relished by cattle. It is rarely sown in this country, 

 notwithstanding its great and acknowledged value as a 

 pasture grass. If sown at all, it should be in mixture 

 with other grasses, as orchard grass, rye grass, or June 

 grass. It is of much greater value at the time of 

 flowering than when the seed is ripe. 



The TALL OAT GRASS (Fig. 66) is the Ray grass of 

 France. It furnishes a luxuriant supply of foliage, 

 is valuable either for hay or for pasture, and has been 

 especially recommended for soiling purposes, on ac- 

 count of its early and luxuriant growth. It is often 

 found on the borders of fields and hedges, woods and 

 pastures, and is sometimes very plenty in mowing-lands. 

 After being mown it shoots up a very thick aftermath, 

 and on this account, partly, is regarded as nearly equal 

 for excellence to the common foxtail. 



It grows spontaneously on deep, sandy soils, when 

 once naturalized. It has been cultivated to a consider- 

 able extent in this country, and is esteemed by those 

 who know it mainly for its early, rapid, and late growth, 



