198 THE LIFE AND WORK OF GEORGE DON. 
ducing a permanent pasture. It spreads rapidly, and produces 
abundance of radical leaves; and in sterile fields it ensures a lasting 
sward of good grass. It will thrive on peat bogs. Its seeds remain 
long on the panicle, and are easily collected. 
6. Poa trivialis!. This Poa is also deservedly praised by all the 
writers on the grasses. It succeeds beyond any grass in moist and 
rich soils. It constitutes almost the whole herbage on the meadow 
under the castle of Edinburgh, and also of the meadow under the 
north east end of Salisbury Craigs, in both which places it is cut 
six or eight times every season. It is however to be regretted that 
the seeds of this grass are fugacious, and cannot be collected, unless 
cut before they are quite ripe. In boggy soils, it might be worth 
the trouble to plant tufts at the distance of five or six feet, which in 
a few years would infallibly cover the whole surface with this best 
of grasses. : 
7. Festuca rubra? of Flora Britannica. This grass is one of thos 
valuable plants, which like the Arundo arenaria, tends to arrest the 
progress of the sand on the sea shore, and often prevents it from 
overwhelming great tracts of the neighbouring soil. On observing 
this grass in its native situation, I am satisfied that it is one of the 
best for pasture, as it produces a considerable number of succulent 
radical leaves of uncommon length. This plant has not been noticed 
by agricultural writers. It cannot be the grass spoken of in Ander- 
son’s Essays, under the name of Purple fescue. His grass is said to 
be common in fields, and must of course, be Festuca duriuscula. 
8. Festuca duriuscula®. This is deservedly considered by Mr. 
Swayne, Dr. Withering, Dr. Martyn, Mr. Curtis, &c. as a valuable 
grass, springing early, and acceptable to all kinds of cattle. As it 
forms a very close turf, it may often be preferable to the /. rubra, 
even on the sandy shores. In looking over old pastures, I have 
always observed this grass closely cropped by the cattle, and scarce 
a flowering sprig to be seen. It has also the advantage of thriving 
in a poor soil, and even under trees. It flowers in June, and ripens 
in July. Its seeds are easily gathered, as they remain till ripe on 
the spike. 
9. Festuca pratensis*, is a plant justly esteemed by Mr. Curtis, 
and other writers on the Gramina. It is found on the wettest 
meadows and bogs. If care were taken to sow this grass in such 
1 Rough stalked meadow grass. 
* Meadow fescue grass. 
