178 



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Experiments.-— At the time of flowering, tlie produce from a sandy soil, is. 



dr. qr. 



oz. 



Grass, 44 oz. The produce per acre 

 80 dr. of grass weigli when dry 

 The produce of the space, ditto 



45 

 396 



- 479160 



-■ 269527 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 



5 



55 



37434 6 



lbs. 



29947 8 



16845 7 8 



13102 8 



2339 10 6 



It has been asserted, that the seeds of this grass seldom arrive at maturity, hut there is 

 hardly a grass, either in a natural or cultivated state, that ripens more seed than the Barreii 

 Brome-grass. Mr. Curtis affirms, that it acquired the name sterilis, or barren, from its inutility 

 with respect to cattle, which appears most probable. Ray calls it Great Wild Oat-grass, or 

 Drank. 



The produce, as stated above, will appear great when compared to the appearance of tbe 

 grass when growing; it is owing, however, to the large size of the panicle and spikets, wJiich 

 constitute the greater proportion of the weight of produce. This circumstance induced me to 



f 



submit the given weight of the flowering panicles to experiment; the result was, that 64 dr. of 



F M 



the flowering panicles afforded 2 dr. 2 qr. of nutritive matter. The nutritive powers of the 

 ciilms and leaves, conjunctly, are therefore twice as great as those of the flowering panicles. 

 When the seed is perfected, the nutritive matter contained iu the culms and leaves is compara- 

 tively nothing. The long sharp awns with which the spikets are armed, must prevent cattle 

 from eating it. It grows chiefly under hedges, and on banks by the road-sides, where it is very 

 common; but it is seldom found beyond the reach of the shade.* I never could observe that 

 any of it had been touched by cattle. When mown before the time of flowering, it is less dis- 

 posed to send up secondary shoots from the roots than most other of the annual grasses, and 

 may therefore be overcome by one or two mowings in the season ; but its local place of growth 

 prevents it from being troublesome, as a weed, in the field. 



It flowers in the first and second weeks of July, and the seed is ripe about the beginning and 

 middle of August. 



JBromiis diandrits. Upright Annual Brome-grass. 



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Sj)ecific character: Panicle erect; spikets rough, linear-spear sliaped, somewhat compressed, 



and becoming broader at top; the intermediate ones in pairs; awn straight, longer than the 

 husk; leaves almost naked. 



Obs. 



-Culms from half afoot to a foot in height, erect, but somewhat procumbent at the 

 base, round, scored or striated, smooth. Panicle always erect; at first compact, afterwards 

 spreading. Spikets straight; outer valve of the corolla spear- acuminate, a little compressed, 

 margin membraneous, seven nerved, apex divided. E. Bot. 1006; Curt. Lond. fasc. 70) 

 Host. t. 17 ; Flo. Ger. 366 ; B. Madritensis. 



uca avenacea sterilis pediculis breviorihm r,f ^^- • .- -mt • Q+7fi«{ 



^ "^"'"^^ et spicis erectis. Moris, s. o, t. /, t. J J. 



Native of Britain. Root annual. _ 



Festi 



