44 



growing under the shade of trees, of a whitish green colour. The panicle of the H. 

 is always of a pale whitish green colour 



mollis 



Perennial. Native 

 Arr. ; Hort. Kew. 



ive of Britain. E. Bot. 1170; Host. t. 5; Curt. Lond. fasc. 54; Wither. 



Ea^periments.- At the time of flowering, the produce from a sandy soil, is. 



dr. qr 



32 

 320 



Grass, 50 oz. The produce per acre 



80 dr. of grass weigh, when dry 



The produce of the space, ditto 



The weight lost by the produce of one acre in drying 



64 dr. of grass afford of nutritive matter 



The produce of the space, ditto 



At the time the seed is ripe, the produce is. 

 Grass, 31 oz. The produce per acre 

 80 dr. of grass weigh, when dry 

 The produce of the space, ditto 



oz, 



544500 







217800 



4 2 

 56 1 



38285 2 



32 



198 If 



337590 

 135036 



The weight lost by the produce of one acre in drying 

 64 dr. of grass afford of nutritive matter 



3 



2 



27 Of 



18461 15 



lbs. 



34031 



4 



13612 8 



20418 12 



2392 13 2f 



21099 6 

 8439 12 



+ 



12659 10 

 1153 13 15 



The produce of the space, ditto 



The weight of nutritive matter which is lost by leaving the crop till the seed be ripe, exceeding) 



r i«t3o lo 3 



one-half of its value, is ---'■--- > 



The proportional value in which the grass of the flowering crop exceeds that of the seed crop, 



is as 9 to 7- 



64 dr. of the roots afford of nutritive matter 5 dr. 2 qr. The nutritive powers of the roots 



are therefore superior to that of the grass of the flowering crop, as 11 to 9, ^nd also superior to 



\ 



the grass of the seeding crop, as 11 to 7. 



The ahove detail's prove this grass to have merits which, when compared with those of other 

 species, rank it as one of the superior grasses. But then it produces little herbage In the spring, 

 and the latter-math is next to nothing. It is also a very late grass, and whatever merit it may 

 possess with regard to a crop, at the time of flowering, it can only be taken into the account 

 in relation to the soil which naturally produces it, which is a light barren sandy soil. If we 

 therefore compare its produce on such soils with that of other grasses, it will prove superior; 

 but there it must remain, for on all other soils it will be found inferior to most other grasses. 

 The roots, when once in possession of the soil, can hardly be again expelled without great 

 labour and expence. It is the true couch-grass of hght sandy soils ; I h^ve found roots five feet 

 in length, the growth of a few months only. The roots contain a very considerable quantity of 

 nutritive matter, which has the flavour of new-made meal. Pigs are very fond of the roots, and 

 dig them up with eagerness. How far it might be advantageous to cultivate this grass 

 naked sands, for the sake of the roots, I shall not presume to determine ; but the strong nutri- 

 tive powers they possess, and the little expence that would attend their culture, warrant tk 

 recommendation of trial, to those who may have such barren sands in their possession. The 

 herbage is apparently more disliked by cattle than that of the Holcuslanatus; it is extremely 



on 



^oft, dry, and tasteless. 



The best mode of banishino- 



this impoverishing and most troublesome 



