BRITISH GRASSES. 515 
Foxtail (Alopecurus pratensis) was prominent. To a gentleman 
whom we met in the vale, and who was, with good-humoured 
banter, sneering at our humble and innocent occupation of 
simpling, we ventured to hint, that our pursuit, frivolous though 
it might appear to him, was not altogether useless to society : the 
example of the Foxtail was pointed at as an illustration that 
there was something of a relationship between soils and plants 
such as was never dreamed of by the unscientific or unlearned in 
such matters. He was informed that the common Grass of these 
downs, Sheep’s Fescue (Festuca ovina), was a good succulent 
Grass, even on these dry and unsheltered places, and that it was 
permanent because suitable for the soil; but, on the other hand, 
it was stated that the Foxtail was reduced there to dry bents, 
which the sheep could not or would not eat, and moreover that it 
would not be permanent—could not keep hold of the soil. This 
is the case with the Ray-Grass: it holds out for a year or two, or 
longer if the ground be good (we have an idea that it is a scourge 
to the land), but it fails to maintain its existence among the 
hardier Grasses and weeds that strive to monopolize the soil. 
Timothy-Grass (Phlewm pratense) has long been celebrated in 
America, and we were glad to see it grown rather extensively by 
the Marquis of Breadalbane, at Taymouth. It is almost un- 
known in England as an agrarial Grass. Italian Ray-Grass is 
likely ere long to supersede its perennial namesake, and very de- 
servedly: its larger size, quicker growth, and more abundant 
herbage, well entitle it to the great attention it has excited of late 
years. It is warmly recommended by the author of the work 
under consideration. 
The Brome Grasses—at least those of the annual species—were 
considered, in Scotland, as not merely worthless, but as injurious 
weeds, and great care used to be taken to prevent their seeds from 
mingling with those of the Ray-Grass ; and as these Bull-Grasses, 
as they were then and there called, did not grow up on the second 
and third year’s leys, a portion of these two- and three-years’-old 
Grasses was reserved for seed. Yet it appears from Professor 
Way’s table, p. 11, that these universally-accounted worthless 
Grasses contain, in 100, 4°05 parts of albuminous or flesh-forming 
elements, and that the highest in this series is Timothy-Grass, 
which contains a percentage of 4°86 of the same valuable consti- 
tuents. Meadow Barley-Grass (Hordeum pratense) contains 4°59 
