THE NATURAL GRASSES DESCRIBED 27 



18. Festuca heterophylla {Various leavedHard Fescue).— Yx. Fetuque Mt'erophylle ; 

 Ger. Ungleichbldttriger Schwingel. — Root leaves long, narrow, and flexuous, of a dark green 

 colour ; leaves of the culm or stalk, broad, and of a lighter or more vivid green ; culms 

 numerous and upright; root fibrous, perennial; flowers in June and July; height four to 

 five feet. This species is a native of France, and introduced to Britain in 18 12. It is 

 grown pretty extensively on several parts of the Continent, particularly in the Low 

 Countries, from whence its seeds are imported. It is well adapted for our climate, and 

 ripens an abundance of seed. For a single crop of hay, it is particularly well suited, and 

 will yield as great, if not a greater, bulk of herbage as any other of the Fescues, but 

 produces little except root-leaves after being cut. Upon the whole, it is well fitted for 

 sowing as a mixture, either on hay or pasture lands, but particularly on the former. 



19. Festuca loliacea {Darnel, or Spiked Rye-Grass-Uke Fescue, Slender Fescue Grass). — 

 Fr. Fetuque d'ivraie, Ger. Lolchschwingel. — A fibrous-rooted perennial; flowers in July. 

 In habit of growth and bulk of produce this species much resembles F. pratensis, but 

 differs from it in having its inflorescence spiked, as in the Rye Grass, also by being 

 naturally more adapted to grow in marshy situations. It is easily distinguished from the 

 Rye Grass by its spikelets having occasionally a short foot-stalk, always two glumes, and 

 improving in proportion to its age, which is directly the reverse of the Rye Grass. This 

 grass is well suited for marshy soils, and in rich meadow lands which are occasionally 

 overflowed by fresh water. 



20. Festuca ovina (Sheep's Fescue). — Fr. Fetuque ovine; Ger. Schafschwingel. — 

 Leaves very narrow and rough; stem square; seed small; cylindrical, and pointed 

 at both ends; grows in small tufts; roots fibrous, perennial; height from twelve to 

 eighteen inches; flowers 'in June and July. This species is easily distinguished from 

 F. duriuscula by its dwarf and more tufted habit of growth, its short, stiff, upright 

 leaves, and, above all, by its square culms or stalks. Grows naturally on light, 

 dry, and sandy soils, and on elevated mountain pastures. The presence of this grass 

 is indicative of the dry nature of the soil, and its consequent adaptability for sheep. 

 It forms the greater part of the sheep pastures of the Highlands. In quantity of produce 

 it is much inferior to the other cultivated Fescues, but from being well liked by sheep, it 

 should always enter into the composition of mixtures for lands on which they are to be 

 pastured. In fact, on the authority of Linnaeus, these animals have no relish for hills and 

 heaths which are destitute of this grass. Although the foliage is fine, it is not well suited 

 for sowing on lawns or bowling-greens, on account of its small tufted habit of growth, and 

 the difficulty experienced in cutting it with the scythe. A variety {F. ovina var. tenuifolia), 

 the F. tenuifolia of some botanists, grows naturally in great abundance with the species in 

 many of the dry pastures of France, and may be met with occasionally in Britain. It 

 differs from the species in being of a less tufted habit of growth, having shorter stems or 

 culms, looser panicles, awnless, smaller seeds, and much longer and slenderer leaves, 

 which are of a Hght vivid green colour. Is of little importance in field culture, but well 

 suited for sowing in ornamental pleasure-ground. {See illustration facing page 26.) 



21. Festuca pratensis {Meadow Fescue Grass). — Fr. Fetuque des pr'es; Ger. Wiesen- 

 Schwingel. — Leaves broad, and of a lively green colour ; root fibrous, perennial ; height 

 generally from two to three feet ; flowers in June and July. This is an excellent grass, 

 either for alternate husbandry or permanent pasture, but more particularly the latter, 

 combining most of the properties without the defects of Common Rye Grass. When 

 growing naturally, it is generally found on superior, rather moist soils, and often forming 



