6 BRITISH GRASSES. 



so every blade has its own wreath of jewels bestowed by 

 the breath of the hoar-frost. 



Very early in the year, the grass-flowers come forth to 

 courtour regard. The Sweet Vernal Grass leads the first 

 group, and half-a-dozen have shaken forth their tasselled 

 stameos before the April showers have ceased. May, 

 the month of flowers, boasts but three flowering-grasses, 

 one of which is the Holy Grass, so called because dedi- 

 cated to the Blessed Virgin, and used in Prussia and else- 

 where in the decoration of the churches, fitting therefore 

 to flower in the month which, like itself, is dedicated to 

 the mother of our Lord. June is rich in grasses ; Mr. 

 Lowe enumerates forty-four which flower in that month, 

 but the numbers only reach their maximum in July, 

 when sixty-six perfect their blossoms according to the 

 computation of the same author. August has but few 

 grasses, and after that the flowers of the family are seen 

 no more, or only in belated individuals. 



Nearly every grass is wholesome, all the seeds partak- 

 ing of the nature of the cereals. Lolium temulentum is 

 an exception, its seeds have the character of being nar- 

 cotic and deleterious, and producing intoxication and 

 even convulsions. There are terrible legends of poison- 

 ing by darnel-bread, but authors of the present day 

 doubt the truth of the said legends, and return a verdict 

 of "not proven." The seeds of Bromus mollis are ac- 

 counted doubtfully wholesome, and those of the foreign 

 species Festuca quadridentata lie under the same sus- 

 picion. There is a curious species in New Zealand, 

 called Spear-grass, which is very injurious to the feet of 

 horses and men, because of its sharp spines, which are 

 a foot long ; the spike measures a yard in length, and 

 the strong sharp awns are truly vegetable spears ; Dr. 



