KAELY ATTEMPTS TO CULTIVATE GRASSES. 197 



CHAPTER VII. 

 EARLY ATTEMPTS TO CULTIVATE ORASSES. 



Meadows of the Koiiiaiis. — It will ho im.stifo to enter into 

 tlutiiils in rcFi'renc(! to the time of introduotion of most of our 

 Viiliiiiblo grasses. Kven to the present day, there is much un- 

 certainty and confusion of the names of grasses. 



As a matter of liistory it may not ho out of phico to road a few 

 extracts translated from CohimvUn, the old ]{ouuin, wlio wrote 

 al)out A. 1). TtO: 



** The hay wliich grows luiturally in a juicy soil, is reclvoued 

 hotter than that which is forced hy constant watering. Land 

 that slielves gently, if it is either flat or well watered, nuiy be 

 reduced into meadow ; hut sucli a level ground is most approved, 

 which, having a very small gentle descent, does not suffer the 

 showers nor the rivulets that f nv/ into it, to abide long in it ; or 

 if any water comes upon it, it creeps off slowly; therefore, if in 

 any part it be low and marshy, and the water stagnates upon 

 it, it must ho carried otT hy furrows; for either great abundance 

 or scarcity of water, is equally pernicious to grass of all sorts." 



After speaking of removing brush, briars, and weeds, he says: 

 ** It is important that we neither allow a hog to feed therein, 

 because, with its snout, it digs up and raises the turf, nor larger 

 cattle, unless when the ground is exceeding dry, because they 

 sink their hoofs into it and bruise and cut the roots of the herbs. 

 Nevertheless, the second year we will allow smaller cattle to be 

 admitted, after the hay harvest is over, provided the dryness 

 and condition of the place will suffer it. Then the third year, 

 when the meadow is become more hard and solid, it may receive 



FiQ. 87.— Cj/no(mn<8 crM<iUm (Crested Dog's tail); o, A whole plant ; h, e, two views of 

 a spikelet.— (Plant from Sutton, spikelets by Scribner). 



