THE ItUBHES, GRASSES, AND FERNS. 2?5 



several species. This grass makes an excellent hay 

 on dry chalk or sandy soils, where it may be 

 cultivated with advantage along with clover. All 

 the species, however, are subject to great variation, 

 thus showing the capability of considerable powers 

 of adaptation to different physical conditions. The 

 Common Eye Grass (Lolium perenne, Fig. 207) may 

 be found everywhere. The Bearded Darnel (Lolium 

 temulentum), so called on account of its long awns, is 

 supposed by some writers to be the " tares" Fig 2 Q8. 

 to which the Saviour alluded in his 

 parable of the tares and wheat. The 

 seeds of this species have a very peculiar 

 intoxicating effect. When malted with 

 barley, the ale brewed from the mixture 

 produces speedy drunkenness ; and if they 

 are ground up with bread corn, the bread, 

 if eaten hot, produces a similar effect. It 

 is usually met with in cultivated fields. 

 Cattle seem to know its qualities instinc- 

 tively, for they always avoid it. 



Other abundant British grasses are Aim, Poa, 

 Festuca, &c., whose numerous species grow in most 

 fields. But we proceed now to notice the very 

 common road-side forms, such as the Meadow Barley 

 and Wall Barley. This genus contains four British 

 species, all of which are easily recognisable. The 

 spikelets in all the species are situated three together 

 or nearly so, in alternate notches in the flower-stalk 

 or culm (Fig. 208). Tho Wall Barley (Hordeum mu- 



T V 



