15 



turn-over, where some 40 people are engaged ; or, finally, to a 

 weaving-factory (tapes, cord, etc.) with some 250 hands at work? 



How, then, is it, that the Natural Grass-seed business has made 

 roots, and deep roots indeed, in this city so devoid of any com- 

 mercial enterprise? 



The reply can be a short-one, viz the fact of its being so well, 

 so centrally situated for that particular trade ! 



For, whereas the place has north of it in its direct vicinity a 

 lighter, sandy soil with various woods, yielding the varieties that 

 are being either grown on these lighter soils or collected in those 

 woods, such as Festuca duriuscula, ovina and ovina 

 angustifolia {Hard-, Sheep's and Fine-leaved Sheep's Fescue),. 

 Aira flexuosa {Wavy Mountain Hair-grass), Poanemoralis 

 {Wood Meadow-grass) etc., it has south, west and east of it the 

 more fertile, heavy clay soil, which for centuries has been per- 

 manent pasture-land, where most of the more valuable meadow- 

 grasses have from times immemorial been collected or, as has 

 been the case for the last three or four decades, have been more 

 systematically grown as crops. Amongst these grasses we mention 

 in the first place varieties like Agrostis stolonifera 

 {Creeping Bent-grass), Alopecurus pratensis (Meadow 

 Foxtail-grass), Anthoxanthum odoratum {Sweet-scented 

 Vernal-grass, true), Avena flavescens ( Yellow Oat-grass, 

 true), Avena elatior {Tall Oat-grass), Cynosurus cristatus 

 {Crested Dogstail-grass), Dactylis glomerata (Cocksfoot or 

 Orchard-grass), Festuca elatior and pratensis (Tall 

 Meadow and ordinary Meadow-Fescue) and Poa pratensis 

 and t r i V i a 1 i s (Smooth- and Rough-stalked Meadow-grass) the 

 former generally known in A m e r i c a as Kentucky Blue-grass. 



Nor is this all in the way of advantages A r n h e m has over 

 various competitors. But the fact that the River Rhine with 

 its tributary the River Waal, both of which farther westward 

 have again connection with the several canals that cut up the 

 more distant parts of Holland, run like serpentines through 

 these two sorts of districts, gives magnificent and cheap accom- 

 modation for the conveyance of the various grasses from the 

 different and most remote points, not only for the partly dressed 

 stuff, but also for the original seed-material in its green state, 

 which for the reason that it requires a more intense drying and 

 thrashing, is all conveyed to A r n h e m to undergo those more 

 thorough operations. 



