270 



This species is therefore greatly superior to the above in produce and nutritive pro 

 but neither appears to have merits sufficient to recommend it for cultivation j for even tl 



strong 

 on th 



they were early in the produce of fine foliage, and grew rapidly after being cut, their 

 creeping roots, which exhaust the soil very much, would preclude their introduction 

 farm. 



The Knee-jointed, or Pendulous Lyme-grass, flowers in the second week of Julv Th S 

 Lyme-grass flowers about a week later. The seed is perfected in about three weeks aft tli 

 time of flowering. : , 



Dactylis patens* Spreading Cock's-foot Grass. 



Specific character: Spike spreading, flowering a little on one side; florets bent Hke ^ 

 culm decumbent; leaves spreading very much. 



an arch : 



Obs, — Introduced into England in 1781 by Mr. William Curtis. Hort. Kew, i. p 16o 

 Native of North America. Root perennial. 



Experiments. — At the time of flowering, the produce from a rich siliceous sandy soil, is 



dr. 



1 



Grass, 49 oz. The produce per acre 



y 



80 dr. of grass weigh when dry 



The produce of the space, ditto j - i- 



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 



qi"' 



/ 



oz, 



533610 







^Q 

 313 01 



« ' 



lbs. 



33350 







240124 8 



15007 12 



18342 4 



2 3 



33 21 



22028 8 



1433 



This grass is very late in the production of foliage in the spring, and it does not come into 

 flower till the month of August. The produce, considered as a single crop, is then great, but 

 it is the only one it produces in the season. The nutritive qualities of the herbage are likewise 

 inferior to those of most other kinds of grass. The leaves are remarkable for their length, smooth- 

 ness of surface, and toughness of fibre. 



I submitted a quantity of the leaves to the process used for forming flax, by steeping, drying, 

 breaking, &c. The results were favourable, inasmuch as the clean fibre was equal in strength 

 and softness to that of flax, but it was deficient in length ; for though the leaves of the grass 

 were as long as the plants of flax in general, yet a considerable portion of the top, or from the 

 point of the leaf, did not stand the effects of the process. How far a little modification of the 

 process may obviate this, another trial must determine. The only advantage that appears would 

 result from this plant afl^ording flax, is, that it could be produced on a soil unfit for the growth 

 of flax or the production of corn. 



It flowers in the second week of August, and the seed i 



is ripe about the middle of September 



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