148 Agricultural Section [pt ii 



summers. Under all such extreme conditions of soil and climate 

 it may well be used as a constituent for permanent grass. 



Commercial Seed. 



The best agricultural type of Tall Fescue is grown from seed 

 hitherto obtained from the Rhenish provinces of the Continent. 

 The supply from this source is limited, and sometimes seed of 

 the New Zealand Reed Fescue (F. littoralis Br.) is imported 

 under the name of Tall Fescue. This plant is altogether unsuit- 

 able for cultivation owing to its extremely coarse reedy nature, 

 and probably some of the objection which has been raised against 

 Tall Fescue has been due to the use of this variety. The seeds of 

 New Zealand Reed Fescue are larger and paler in colour than those 

 of genuine Tall Fescue; the outer palea is distinctly 5-nerved, 

 and is covered all over with microscopic hairs, while the rachilla 

 and base of the " seed " are clothed with longer hairs. 



The usual impurities found in seed of Tall Fescue are seeds 

 of Cock's-foot (of equal value), chaffy material, and the sclerotia 

 of Ergot (Claviceps purpurea). The last is the most serious im- 

 purity. Bromus arvensis and Holcus sps. also occur. The pro- 

 portion of chaff is frequently high, sometimes reaching 10 or 

 20 per cent, or even more. Good samples will have a Purity of 

 about 90 per cent, and contain not more than five to seven per 

 cent, of chaff. The Germination of good seed should reach 60 to 70 

 per cent, in seven days, and 85 to 90 per cent, in twenty-one days. 



Festuca elatior, L. sub-sp. pratensis, Hackel. 

 For Botanical description see p. 100. 



Meadow Fescue is indigenous to the same geographical areas 

 as Tall Fescue. It is common — though not abundant — in Britain, 

 and has been introduced into North America. It is most usually 

 found in moist pastures and meadows situated on good soils. 

 Though it thrives best on clays and marls it will also succeed on 

 calcareous and even sandy soils providing they are sufficiently 

 moist. A good and regular supply of moisture is one of the chief 

 conditions for its successful growth. It is much more resistant to 

 cold than to drought. 



The development of Meadow Fescue is rather slow, and a full 

 yield is not obtained before the second or third vear after sowing 



to" 



