68 



JSromus mollis 



Brome-g 



_ , -^ 3ts oval oblong, a little compressed, covered with 



down? flowers imbricatedTouter'husk of the blossom divided at top; awn straight, about 



the length of the husk; leaves soft and downy. 



0^..-The panicle branches are simple, seldom supporting more than one spiket. In ^he 

 Bromus arvensis and Bromus muUiJlorus, the panicle branches are branched, and some of 

 them simple. The oval oblong figure of the spikets, and the downy hairs which cover 

 them, are characters which readily distinguish this species from the others. 



Experiments.— At the time of flowering, the produce from a sandy loam, is. 



dr. qr, 



Grass, l6oz. The produce per acre is 

 80 dr. of grass' weigh, when dry 

 The produce of the space, ditto 



oz, 



174240 







lbs. 



10890 



. 40 0^ 

 128 S 



87 ISO 



5445 



3 

 12 



8167 8 



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, 4 oz. The produce per acre 

 80 dr. of grass weigh when dry 

 The produce of the space, ditto 

 64 dr. of grass afford of nutritive matter 

 The produce of the space, ditto 

 The weight of nutritive matter, in which the crop at the time of flowering exceeds that 



at the time the seed is ripe, is, ^ - ^ _ - - 



5445 



510 7 8 



60 



48 



3 



3 



43560 

 32670 



2722 8 



2041 14 



510 7 



5\ 14 7 



478 9 1 



On all poor exhausted soils that have been Injudiciously laid down to grass, this species is 

 more common than on any other land. It very much resembles the Lavo last-mentioned species 

 oi bromus in appearance and habits, but flowers several weeks earlier, and the seed is ripe gene- 



w 



rally before hay-harvest commences. This circumstance, which is an unfortunate one to the 

 Farmer, is favourable to the Soft Brome-grass, as it secures its existence for another season. 

 From the above details it appears to be greatly inferior to the Field Brouie-grass, and Many- 

 flowered Brome. . It produces but little foliage in the spring ; and the flowering culms are 



soon 



formed, and become nodding at top, or bent downwards with the weight of the seed, which is 

 large, and much relished by birds. When once this grass introduces itself into a field, it 

 is a very difiiciilt task to overcome it: for though an annual, or one-year lived plant, hke the 

 other two bromes, and though cut when in flower, it will, nevertheless, continue to send up 

 fresh culms from the root till a late period of the season; and these late or secondary culms 

 being of a very low stature, are seldom perceived, but on a close inspection of the 

 herbage. Thus it happens, that after sacrificing the crop of hay (but which indeed is 

 never great if this grass prevails), by mowing the field when this ^rass is in flower, 



the Soft 



and before the 



other pasture grasses have attained to any degree of maturity, 



One remedy 



Brome-grass next season makes its appearance 



in abundance, as before. 



is, therefore, to mow repeatedly, as the flowering culms make their appearance, till the 

 roots of the annual grass are exhausted, and then to apply sufficient top-dressings to com- 



t 



