88 THE GRASSES— R.-S. MEADOW GRASS. 



cases, a fair sprinkling of the seeds of bad grasses and 

 weeds (Aira cmspiiosa, for instance). It takes a very 

 close examination with a magnifying glass in most cases 

 to distinguish the Eough-stalked Meadow grass from the 

 seeds of the other Poos, some of the dis- 

 tinguishing features being obliterated in 

 the process of cleaning. This is a serious 

 difficulty in the path of the seedsman and 

 farmer, for we can easily comprehend that 

 to substitute one seed for another is to 

 defeat the ends of the agriculturist, and to 

 Awa caspitosa. impose on him not alone loss of time and of 

 money, but the greater loss of that increase and return 

 which the use of plants rightly suited to his soil and to 

 the circumstances of his land would have brought him. 

 The following descriptions afford a few indications by 

 which the seeds of the different meadow grasses may 

 be distinguished from each other : — 



The seeds of Bough Meadow grass incline to a bluish 

 colour, are more deeply grooved in the interior than any 

 of the others, is only slightly woolly at the base, and 

 has hairs on the keel only. " It has a neat, slender, 

 and tapering appearance " (Hunter). 



Smooth Meadow grass. — The seeds of this are a little 

 thicker than those of the other, are more of a brown 

 colour, much more woolly, and have hairs, not alone on 

 the keel, but on the marginal ribs also. 



Annual Meadow grass. — The seeds of this are a little 

 longer, more pointed, thinner, and of a lighter colour. 



