40 THE GRASSES— CRESTED DOGSTAIL. 



Switzerland. It begins to throw up foliage early, and 

 flowers from middle to end of June. 



Dr. Paenell pronounces it to be a most valuable 

 grass for permanent pasture, but not recommended for 

 hay. Thrives better in tenacious elevated soils than 

 in those of a drier or sandy nature, and in irrigated 

 meadows attains an unusual size. 



Mr. Hunter says it should be included in all mix- 

 tures for permanent pasture, but the quantity of seed 

 should be very moderate, as when once established it wUl 

 increase from year to year by self-sowing. The leaves 

 are fine and form a dense turf. 



Morton's Uncydopcedia : a writer in this work says 

 of the Crested Dogstail, that from a more intimate 

 knowledge of its actual merits, it is not now generally 

 considered worthy of field cultivation. Pew grasses, 

 however, are better adapted than it for bleaching greens 

 and scythe-kept lawns. 



Manuring. — At Eothamsted it appeared to thrive 

 equally well on unmanured plots and on plots that had 

 been dressed with mineral manures only. It showed a 

 dislike for ammonia salts and a preference for nitrate 

 of soda. 



The Seed varies in quality very much owing to care- 

 lessness in collection, and in handling by those who 

 save it. A difference in price of as much as lOOs. per 

 cwt. between a superfine and a poor sample is not an 

 unusual occurrence. Through bad handling (during the 

 process of drying the seed) many samples get heated and 

 become discoloured. Many inferior samples wiU be 

 found to contain various weed-seeds — sometimes ergot in 

 addition ; and again the shelled seeds of Yorkshire ro" 

 are prominent in many samples. 



