238 



Poafluitam, E. Bot. ; Flo. Ger. Flote Meadow-grass. 



Festiicajluitans, Host.; Curtis; Flo. Dan. Flote Fescue. 



Specific character: Panicle branches, some pressed to the main stalk, others divermni 

 it; spikets pressed to the stalk, roundish, many-flowered; florets obtuse with 



nerves. Root creeping. 



F.Jlttitam; E. Bot, 1520, Poajii 



seven 



Obs. 



lonifera (F 



Wh 



in flower there is no difficulty in distinguishing them, the number of florets in each cal 

 being from five to eleven; in Fiorin only one. The leaves are much broader, flat, and Der 

 fectly smooth. By simply drawing the finger down the leaves of the Fiorin, they will L 



Mead 



by which means the two grasses may be distinguished at any stage of growth. Th 

 tary is in the form of a small heart-shaped gland, placed at the base of the germ. 



Native of Britain. Root perennial. 



Ea^periments, — At the time of flowering, the produce from a strong tenacious clay, is 



e nec- 



dr. qr, 



^4 

 9Q 



Grass, 20 oz. The produce per acre 



80 dr. of grass weigh, when dry 



The produce of the space, ditto 



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 - - 



oz. 



217800 



ItlS. 



13612 8 



65340 



4083 12 



95%S 12 



1 3 

 8 3 



5955 7 



372 3 



Th 



as a 



which time it had increased every year ; it therefore appears capable of being cuhivated 

 permanent pasture grass, which is contrary to what has been supposed of the Flote Fescue. 

 Some writers on the subject of grasses inform us, that kine and hogs are fond of this grassland 

 that cows in the spring are frequently enticed into bogs, by endeavouring to get at the young 

 shoots, which appear earlier than most other grasses. The result of my observations lead me to 

 believe, that when cattle eat this grass, it is more through wantonness, than any particular relish 

 they have for it. On a bog, where this grass was in much abundance, black cattle only crop- 

 ped the extremities of the leaves, while the foliage of the Agrosfis stolonifera aristata, Poa tn- 

 vialis, and Alopecurus pratensis, which grew in company with it, were closely eaten down. 

 Birds are fond of the seeds, and generally strip the panicle ere the seeds are all perfected. 

 Schreber informs us, that it is cultivated in several parts of Germany for the sake of the seeds, 

 which are esteemed a delicacy in soups and gruels. When ground into meal, they make bread 

 very little inferior to that from wheat.- The bran is given to horses that have the worms, but 

 they must be kept from water some hours afterwards. Fish, particularly trout, are said to be 

 fond of the seeds. The seed will not vegetate unless kept very moist, indeed I never could 

 obtain any plants from the seed, except when sown in mud; when raised in this manner, and 

 transplanted on a tenacious clay, the plants throve very well, and on the fourth year afforded 

 the produce above stated. ■ , 



f 



Flowers from the first or second week of July, till the end of summer. 



r 



e above produce was taken from grass that had occupied the ground four years, during I 





