898 THE COMPLETE GRAZIER. BOOK x. 



appear desirable. It is in temporary leys, destined to remain for three 

 to six years, that cocksfoot finds its most advantageous application. 

 If, however, it is allowed to enter in too great a proportion into any 

 mixture, the same inconvenient results follow as when it is sown alone, 

 that is, it forms dense cushions or tufts, and so conduces to an irre- 

 gular sward. It is, therefore, recommended to use in the first sowing 

 rather less cocksfoot than appears to be necessary, and, after the other 

 grasses have had some opportunity to establish themselves, to sow the 

 remaining cocksfoot later. Only in exceptional cases is it necessary at 

 first to sow cocksfoot in greater proportion than 15 per cent, of the 

 mixture. Heavy rolling in spring is recommended, as thereby the 

 projecting hassocks or tussocks are reduced to the general level of the 

 sward. In old meadows, in a good state of fertility, it is often advan- 

 tageous to send the harrow before the roller. 



The commonest impurities of cocksfoot " seed " (fig. 381), namely, 

 the seeds of meadow fescue, yellow oat grass, and rye grass, are far 

 from being injurious, and two of them are of higher commercial value 

 than cocksfoot seed itself. More prejudicial are the seeds of brome 

 grass and of certain weeds of the composite family, particularly ox-eyes, 

 groundsel, ragworts, nippleworts, and hawkweeds. Seeds of umbelli- 

 ferous weeds are also found in badly-cleaned samples of cocksfoot. 

 The grass seeds chiefly employed in the deliberate adulteration of 

 cocksfoot are those of hard fescue (Festuca duriuscula), and blue 

 molinia, or blue moor-grass (Molinia cserulea). But the seed of this 

 fescue is distinguished from that of cocksfoot in that it is of a browner 

 colour, and is more rounded on the back, which is not keeled. In 

 Molinia the inferior of the two glumes of the seed is a little longer and 

 more swollen than the equivalent structure in cocksfoot, whilst the 

 contained grain is shorter and thicker, especially at the base. 



DOGSTAIL (Cynosurus cristatus, L.). Crested dogstail grass, 

 though of sparse habit, contributes materially to the production of a 

 good " sole " in the turf of pastures. It is essentially a pastoral plant, 

 and is of less value in the hayfield, though the material known to London 

 hay-dealers as " Hendon Bent " consists chiefly of dogstail, and is 

 much appreciated as horse feed. In association with the narrow-leaved 

 fescues dogstail is an important constituent of many of the best 

 sheep pastures, whilst its withered culms may be seen in quantity at 

 the fall of the year in old deer-parks. The appearance of the panicle 

 is so characteristic (fig. 382) that it is not likely to be confounded with 

 any other native species ; its peculiarity is the presence of a pectinate 

 bract at the outer base of each spikelet. The leaves are rather narrow 

 and taper upwards, and the sheaths near the ground have a yellowish- 

 white colour. Dogstail is widely distributed in the pastures of the 

 British Isles, but it never occupies a leading place in the bulk of herbage 

 produced. The plant seems to be most at home on compact dry soils, 

 and is qualified to thrive above a chalk subsoil. The roots are hardy 

 and penetrate deeply, hence dogstail is little susceptible to drought. 



The " seed " of dogstail (fig. 383) is easily identified by its elegant 



