208 



BRITISH GRASSES. 



The Couch-grass is common in waste places and far 

 too frequent in cultivated fields. Its roots penetrate so 



deeply into the ground and 

 spread so extensively that 

 they are very difficult to ex- 

 tirpate. When collected in 

 sufficient quantity these roots 

 form good food for pigs, and 

 in times of famine have been 

 made into bread. But food 

 both for man and beast is 

 too easy to get to render it 

 worth while to spend labour 

 in getting Couch-grass roots 

 for edible purposes, so their 

 nutritious qualities do not 

 atone to the farmer for their 

 manner of exhausting the 

 soil. 

 This grass is variable in form and tint. Sometimes 

 it is only a foot in height, but when it grows close to a 

 hedge or bush, and supports itself by the branches, it 

 attains a height of three feet. Generally the tint is a 

 full deep green, but occasionally the tint becomes glau- 

 cous ; the leaves turning to one side gives the grass a 

 marked appearance, and makes it easy of recognition. 

 The leaves are smooth on the lower half of outer surface. 

 Cattle eat the Couch-grass in spring, and we often ob- 

 serve cats and dogs eating its leaves ; Dr. Parnell is of 

 opinion that they take it as an emetic. 



It is common throughout Britain, and is indigenous 

 in Norway, Sweden, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, 

 Portugal, Switzerland, Russia, and Iceland, also in the 

 United States. 



