918 



THE COMPLETE GRAZIER. 



BOOK X. 



stance that the solitary outer glume is longer than the spikelet to which 

 it belongs (see fig. 435, page 927). Poisonous or intoxicating pro- 

 perties have been attributed to it. 



SWEET GRASSES (Glyceria) occur naturally in water meadows and in 

 the Fen districts, and are seldom raised from seed. In the grass lands 

 which they frequent, they constitute acceptable and palatable additions 

 to the herbage, and are, as their name implies, distinctly sweet. The 

 floating sweet grass, or floating manna grass (Glyceria fluitans, Br.), is 

 a slender and graceful grass, sometimes liable to be mistaken for the 

 spiked fescue (Festuca loliacea), which grows in association with it. 

 The spikelets of the sweet grass are, however, longer, and contain a 

 larger number of florets than is the case in spiked fescue. The reed 

 sweet grass (Glyceria aqua.tica, Sm.) is a far stouter plant, and shows 

 a disposition to grow in the water courses and along their borders 

 rather than to spread itself over the meadow ; it is the White Spear 

 Grass of the United States. 



SWEET-SCENTED VERNAL GRASS (Anthoxanthum odoratum, L.) is 



Nat. size. 



Fig. 420. Sweet Vernal Grass. 



Aiithoxanthum odoratum. 



Fig. 421. "Seed" of An- 

 thoxanthum odoratum 



(Sweet-scented Vernal Grass). 



With and without the chaff, 

 magnified 12 diameters. 



one of the earliest grasses to come into flower, and it may often be 

 gathered in ear at the beginning of April. Its florets (fig. 420) are 

 characterised by possessing only two stamens, instead of the normal 

 three. It is a plant of sparse habit, and though it may be found in 

 water meadows, hay-fields, pastures, copses, and hedgerows, it never 

 constitutes more than an insignificant proportion of the total herbage. 

 If the stalk of this grass be chewed, a sweet lavender-like odour, similar 

 to that of new mown hay is perceived. This odour is given out in the 

 process of drying, and to it the agreeable scent of a freshly mown hay- 

 field is attributed. On the sheep-grazed Downs of the South of 



