,¥ 



130 



When its produce, and nutritive powers are comparea with 

 (Festuca rubra), on the same soil, its inferiority is great. 



Festuca ovina, as above, affords of nutritive matter from three crops, per acre 

 Festuca rubra, purple fescue, affords of nutritive matter : 



dr. qr. 



From the grass at the time of flowering 2 per acre 



From the grass at the time the seed is ripe 1 2 ditto - - - 



From the grass of the latter-math - 12 ditto 



those of the purple fescui 



lbs. 



405 



340 

 239 



79 12 



659 5 



Ft 



time of ripening the seed, and the latter-math, exceeds that of the Festuca ovina at the same 

 stages of growth, in the proportion of nearly 14 to 11; and exceeds the F. ovina, in regard to 

 the total produce of the season, in the proportion nearly of 11 to 7. 



From the trial that has here been detailed, the Sheep's Fescue does not prove to possess the 



F 



nutritive powers generally ascribed to it. It has the advantage of a fine foliage, which is suc- 

 culent, and may therefore, very probably, be better adapted to the masticating organs of sheep 

 than the larger grasses, whose nutritive powers are shewn to be greater. Hence, on situations 

 where it naturally grows, and as pasture for sheep, it may possibly be inferior to none on the 

 same soil, in the like state of nature. It flowers in the third week of June^ and the seed is ripe 



+ -J- 



about the last of July. 



^J 



Festuca vivipara. Viviparous Fescue-grass. 



Specific character: Panicle flowering on one side; flowers keel-compressed, awnless, with the 



calyx somewhat pubescent. E. Bot. 1355. 

 Obs. — I have cultivated this grass on a variety of soils, and it has always continued viviparous 



t 



on them all. I never could obtain a floret with either stamen or pistil. The germen, 

 in its first stage, appears like a minute globule of water, visible only with the micros- 

 cope; after the spike is developed, it gradually assumes an oblong figure, becomes pointed, 

 and at last puts forth a single leaf, after the manner of the perfect seed of grasses; other 

 leaves succeed to this, till the weight of these, now a perfect plant of grass, except the 

 root, forces it to fall from the spike on the ground, where it soon strikes root. This is a 

 curious exception to the general law of Nature, in the propagation of plants by their seed. 

 Here is a plant, which has every part of a flower except the two essential parts, stamens and 

 pistils, for its propagation, and for its admission into this class of the system of Linn^us. Yet 

 from this imperfect flower it produces perfect plants. A great number of other grasses are vi- 

 viparous, as Alopecurus pratensis, Cynosurus cristatus, Poa alpina, Phleum pratense, Anthox- 

 anthum odoratum, Sfc. S^c, but in these the seed is first perfected, and merely vegetates in 

 the husk from accidental circumstances, as growing in shaded places, and from long conti- 

 nuance of moist warm weather. 



Ea^periments.- At the time of flowering, or when the spike is perfectly developed, the produce 



\ 



from a light sandy soil, is. 



Grass, 10 oz. The produce per acre 

 64 dr. of grass afford of nutritive matter 

 The produce of the space, ditto 



80 



200 



gr 



oz. 



lbs. 



108900 = 



= 6806 4 



^537 8 = 



H 

 1 



= 283 9 



