30 



.„e p.op„™„„. v.,u. .u which .he grass .. Ae time of flowering exeeeds .ha. a. the .i^e 



tl,e seed is L, is as 5 .o ., and is snperior ,0 .he grass of .he Ia..er.math, ,n .he pr„p„rt„„ „f 



The proportional value in 



2 to T. 



■ B 



This grass sends forth flowering culms during the whole of the season ahd the latter-n^atH 

 produce, consequently, contains nearly an equal quantity of culms with the flowering crop. 

 It is subject to the disease termed rust, hut it does not make its appearance tdl afterthe period 

 of flowering; it afi^ects the whole plant, and at the time the seed .s npe, the culms, and many of 

 the root leaves are withered and dry, from its baneful effects. This clearly explams the cause 

 of the latter-math being superior to the crop at the time the seed is ripe; and points out the 

 propriety of taking the crop as soon as the grass is in flower. 



When cultivated on a heath soil, the subsoil being a strong clay, the nutritive powers of 

 the grass were greater. 64 dr. of this grass afforded 4 dr. of nutritive matter, which shews 

 the grass, in this instance, to be of greater value than that from a clayey loam, in tlie propor- 

 tion of 8 to 5. But the weight of grass produced on the clayey loam, was superior to that on 

 the heath soil, in the proportion of 25 to 8. To account for this, we have only to obserre, that 

 the produce of the heath soil consisted chiefly of culms, while that of the clayey loam consisted 

 more of leaves. This grass is eaten by all sorts of cattle. Its produce is very great, but the 

 nutritive qualities of the grass are inferior to many other grasses. It pushes rapidly after being 

 cropped; and though later in flowering than many other species, produces an early and plen- 

 tiful supply of herbage in the spring. These properties would entitle it to rank high as a gn 

 adapted for the alternate husbandry, but its nutrjtive matter contains too large a proportion of 

 bitter extractive, and saline matters, to warrant its cultivation, without a consideralile admix- 

 ture of different grasses; and the same objection extends to its culture for permanent pasture. 

 It is always present in the composition of the best natural pastures; and, as before 

 tioned, eaten in common Avith other grasses. It does not, however, constitute a large pro- 

 portion of the herbage, but rather the least of any of the more valualjle grasses that have 



been mentioned. * 



Its produce on different soils, from the time it was sown, April 23, 1813, till the period it 

 was cut, July 10, 1813, being less than three months, was as follows: 



Rich clayey loam, grass, 25 oz. 64 dr. of which afforded of nutritive matter 

 Clayey loam, grass, 23 oz. 64 dr. of which afforded of nutritive matter - _ - 



Rich black siliceous sandy soil, grass, 13 oz. 64 dr. of which afforded of nutritive matter 

 Poor siliceous sandy soil, grass, 10 Oz. 64 dr. of which afforded of nutritive matter 

 Heath soil, grass, 8 oz- 64 dr. of which afforded of nutritive matter - ' - 



■ass 



iiien- 



73 grains. 



84 



89 

 80 



83 



The difference in the quantity of nutritive matter afforded by the produce of these different 

 soils, seemed solely to arise from the proportion of culms contained in the different crops; the 

 produce of the rich black siliceous soil, for instance, contained by far the greatest proportion 

 flowering culms, and that of the rich clayey loam, the least. 



From the above details it appears, that this grass should have a place in the composition 



f 



of 



the best natural, or permanent pastures, though its proportion 



as a 



constituent, should be 



much limited. Flowers towards the end of June, and ripens the seed about the second we 

 July. 



ekof 



/ 



f 



