28 PERMANENT AND TEMPORARY PASTURES 



exceedingly well-prepared land to ensure vegetation. Unfor- 

 tunately, the stiff soils which specially suit Foxtail are the 

 most difficult to make fine in time for sowing. But for this 

 grass alone it is worth a strenuous effort to get the land into 

 good order. 



The short, degenerated, truncate ligule, and the long, 

 broad, prominently veined leaves, together with the involute 

 character of the emerging leaf, distinguish this species in the 

 absence of its flowering spike-like panicle. A further aid to 

 identity is the dark brown or violet sheath. 



Experiments at Rothamsted and Kidmore prove that 

 nitrate of soda and mineral salts have a marvellous effect upon 

 the growth of Foxtail. It assimilates larger quantities of 

 manure than many other grasses, and differs from Cocksfoot in 

 the fact that the latter appears to benefit more from ammonia 

 salts than from nitrate of soda, whereas Foxtail does equally 

 well with both. 



Most of the seed imported into England comes from 

 Southern Russia. The German seed sold at Breslau is imma- 

 ture and grows badly. Occasionally very fine samples are 

 obtained from Sweden, but the best seed of all is Dutch ; and 

 although the most careful botanist can detect no difference 

 between the seed grown in Holland and that obtained from 

 other countries, the Dutch seed produces a much more robust 

 as well as an earlier plant. 



For illustration, description, and chemical analysis, see 

 pages 150 and 151. 



AMMOPHILA ARUNDINACEA (Host.) 

 PSAMMA ARENARIA (R. & S.) 

 (Sea Reed, Marrem, or Mat Grass). 



An Act passed in the reign of Elizabeth, and renewed 

 in the reign of George II., prohibited the pulling up of 

 this plant, or the destruction of it in any other way. Like 



