FESTUCA. 241 



The Tall Sheep's Fescue is very productive, and its 

 herbage springs early in the season; it endures drought 

 well, and is much liked by sheep. The herbage is not 

 remarkably nutritious, yet it is valuable because reliable. 

 When grown on a poor siliceous soil, the culms become 

 so fine that Mr. Sinclair recommends them for the 

 manufacture of straw hats. Hares are as fond of it as 

 the sheep are. When grown for meadow grass, it should 

 be cut when in flower. 



F. ovina, var. rubra, is a very important variety, often 

 also accounted a species. It is a large plant, its stems 

 growing two feet high, and less slender than the other 

 varieties, and its root creeping extensively ; its spikelets 

 contain seven or eight florets, and all the leaves are 

 awl-shaped. Its natural habitat is sandy and stony 

 ground, on the seashore or among hills. It is some- 

 times called var. sabulicola. Its qualities are the same 

 as those of the other varieties. Messrs. Wheeler re- 

 commend it especially for lands on lower red sandstone 

 formations. 



F. ovina, var. hordeiformis, Long-awned Fescue-grass, 

 is an imported variety, very valuable to agriculturists. 

 Sinclair pronounces its herbage better, more tender and 

 succulent than that of the other varieties, and recom- 

 mends it highly for permanent pastures ; and its culms 

 for straw-hat work. 



F. ovina is highly recommended by agricultural seeds- 

 men for hilly situations. Messrs. Wheeler include it in 

 their lists for land on chalk, arenaceous, London clay, 

 oolitic, limestone, Wenlock, and lower Silurian forma- 

 tions. 



R 



