J 



^04 



<Jr. qr. 02. lbs, 



3 3 



64 dr. of grass afford of nutritive matter - ^ ^ f ^ ^ ^^^^ = 478 Q 



The produce of the space, ditto . - - 11 1 



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

 Grass, 13 oz. The produce per acre 



141570 = 8848 2 



80 dr. of grass weigh, when dry - - 32 J ■ ^ ^ ^^^^^ = 3539 4 



The produce of the space, ditto - - ^^ . 



The weight lost by the produce of one acre in drying - - -^ - 5308 14 



64 dr. of grass afford of nutritive matter - S > ^ _ ^^^^ ^ ^ 



The produce of the space, ditto - - 9 3 



The weight of nutritive matter which is lost by leaving the crop till the seed be ripe, is - 63 14 



The grass, at the time of flowering, contains more nutritive matter than at the time the seed 



is ripe, in the proportion of 5 to 4. 



This grass, though partial to dry, chalky soils, thrives under irrigation ; and there are but 

 , few pastures in which it is not to be found; dry, sandy heaths, and moist sour soils, are unconge- 

 nial to it. The Rev. G. Swayne observes, that in moist meadows, it produces a considerable quan- 

 tity of hay, but is not to be recommended as one of the best grasses for the Farmer. The best 

 grasses, in my opinion, continues Mr. Swayne, are the Alopecurus pratensis, Poa trivialis, Dae- 

 tylis glomerata, Cynosurus cristatus, Festuca durmscula, Festuca pratemis, Festucahybrida^ Avena 

 Jtavescens, and above all, the Lolium perenne. If Gardeners and Farmers are so careful, as we 

 know they are, in raising the seeds of their turnips and cabbages, surely some of their care is 

 due to the cultivated grasses*. I have observed this grass to constitute the principal herbage of 

 one or two pastures that were considered excellent for sheep. I have been informed, likewise, 

 that in some pastures in Norfolk, this grass forms the principal herbage ; and the proprietors of 

 the lands in question are famed for their superior breed of sheep. Though this proves nothing 

 positive with respect to the merit of the grass, nevertheless, it ofFei'S satisfactory reasons to conclude 

 that the grass is not hurtful in sheep pasture, which is not the case when it is made into hay, the 

 long sharp awns with which the spikes are armed, rendering it dangerous to the mouths of cattle, 

 and makes a serious objection to its introduction (at least in large quantities) into irrigated mea- 

 dows, where the produce is, in part, every year converted into hay. It is tolerably early in the 

 ' spring produce of foliage, and its nutritive powers are considerable. It is very hardy, and 

 strictly perennial. 



Flowers in July, and the seed is ripe in August. 



Bromus cristatus. Crested Brome-wass 



Specific character: Calyx eliptical, awned, keeled, obtusely ribbed ; florets awned; spinets 

 closely imbricated, two-ranked, depressed, straight; stem simple. E. Bot. 



0^5.— Roots furnished with very long, woolly fibres, adapted to grow in sands; culms ascend- 

 ing twelve or eighteen inches high, simple, rigid, slender, leafy, hairy at the top; leaves 

 linear, shortish, with long close sheaths, upper surface in one specimen hairy; but Gme- 



* Withering'sArr.ii.p. 172, Ed. 4. 





