18 



ingly varied condition, and, probably, equally varied as to nutritive 

 quality. Hence may have originated the diversity of opinion re- 

 marked upon above, a summary of which is rather amusing than 

 satisfactory. Allowing priority in quotation to the earlier writers, 

 Dr. Pulteney remarked, that, notwithstanding the character which 

 this grass acquired from La Roque's recommendation, sheep dis- 

 like it, neither are cows nor horses fond of it. Leers, on the con- 

 trary, informs us that it affords an excellent pasture for horses. 

 Swayne calls it, a hard, coarse grass, of little value for cattle. 

 Dr. Walker thought it might be introduced into the Highlands of 

 Scotland with good effect. At Woburn, its comparative merits 

 were considered very great ; owing to its producing abundance of 

 fine foliage early in the spring, which, as it flowers late, may be 

 cropped until an advanced period of the season without injury to 

 the crop of hay. One writer states that the value of the grass as 

 hay when the seed is ripe, is to that when it is in flower as 10 to 

 23 ; another, that when the seed is ripe the stem contains more 

 nutritive matter than that of any other grass which is cut for hay. 

 Its value and capabilities may perhaps be more correctly appreciated 

 from the following facts. On a moderately rich and tenacious soil, 

 the Phleum pratense is a durable and nutritive grass, though too 

 coarse to be generally liked by cattle, unless in the spring, when 

 the early and abundant foliage is often remarkable, in those pastures 

 in which it is plentifully distributed, among the scanty verdure of 

 the later grasses. Where quantity rather than quality is an object 

 in making hay, the Timothy Grass is fully equal, if not indeed 

 superior, in yield to the Meadow Foxtail ; but the hay is harsh 

 and wiry. All of its better qualities are dependent on the depth 

 and retentive character of the soil ; where that is light and shallow, 

 as over chalk and gravel, it either becomes useless or soon dis- 

 appears. 



Perennial, or, according to some botanists, biennial. Flowers 

 in June and July. 



Phleum alpinum. Alpine Cat's-tail Grass. Plate XIV. 



Inflorescence spicate, ovate-oblong. Glumes oblong, truncate, 

 terminating in an awn or mucro equalUng them in length : cihated 

 on the keel. 



Phleum alpinum, Linnaus. E. B. 519; ed. 2. 80. Generally 

 adopted. 



This is one of our rarest British grasses, being only met with on 

 wet alpine moors of from two to four thousand feet elevation : the 

 Breadalbane mountains, and one or two other districts in Scotland, 

 arc its only recorded native habitats. The above specific character, 



