228 



Agrostis alba. White Bent. 



r 



Specific character: Panicle spreading, meagre, branches roughish ; culms decuml 



3ent 



root 



creeping 

 Obs,—Cu\ 



at the base, afterwards bent down ; panicle, when in flower, widel 

 spreading; branches rough, slender; leaves rough; outer valve of the calyx serrulated 



ms ascending 



pre- 



from the middle to the top ; inner valve with a few minute serrulatures towards the ton • 

 corolla awnless. It is distinguished at first sight from the Agrostis repots, A<yrostis stolon' 

 fera, and its varieties, and from the Agrostis palustris, by its decumbent culms and tlii 

 meagre panicle. The Flora Germanica includes under this name five varieties. The 



r 



sent plant agrees with the Agrostis vulgaris, in having one valve of the corolla only serru- 

 lated, smooth, and without any ru^diment of an awn. This is a common variety of the 

 Agrostis alba, on poor wet clayey soils : that figured in the English Botany, is much larger 

 in every respect. E. Bot, 1189- 



Native of Britain, Root perennial. 



Experiments, — At the time of flowering, the produce from a clayey soil, is. 



dr. 



Grass, 12 oz. The produce per acre 



80 dr. of grass weigh, Avhen dry 



The produce of the space, ditto 



The weight lost by the produce of one acre in drying 



6'4 dr. of grass afford of nutritive matter 



The produce of the space, ditto 



qr, 



oz. 



lbs. 



130680 



8167 8 



34 

 81 0^ 



655m 



3471 3 



4696 5 



2 



6 



4083 12 



2255 3 12 



This grass is late, unproductive, and contains hut little nutritive matter. Its creeping roots 

 greatly exhaust the soil : in this variety they are smaller than in the other varieties, hut equally 

 . difficult to extirpate when once in possession of tenacious clays. The next following species, 

 (Agrostis repens), is more troublesome as a weed, though less productive. Neither of these 

 plants produce stolones or runners, hke the varieties of the Agrostis stolonifera; sometimes, in- 

 deed, a few slender runners are found, but they seldom strike root at the joints. The creeping 

 roots abundantly supply this defect in the plant for its propagation, as they creep under tlie 

 surface, and send up at intervals numerous young shoots. This property of the roots is the best 

 character of distinction for the purpose of the Agriculturist, as it may be found at any season, or 

 stage of growth of the plant. 



I 



Flowers in the first week of August, and the seed is ripe about the beginning of September. 



«. 



