40 PERMANENT AND TEMPORARY PASTURES 



FESTUCA PRATENSIS 

 (Meadow Fescue). 



Meadow Fescue is common in Great Britain and on 

 the continent of Europe, and its presence is a fairly certain 

 indication of good land. In situations adapted to the re- 

 quirements of the grass it scarcely suffers from winter cold or 

 spring frosts. It flourishes in strong, deep soil, especially 

 in low-lying meadows and valleys where a moist atmosphere 

 prevails ; and in this country is rarely successful at an eleva- 

 tion of 500 feet above the sea level. Festuca pratensis is 

 abundant in the Vale of Aylesbury — -noted for the luxuriance 

 of its pastures — and is thoroughly at home in well-di-ained 

 clay districts. Professor Buckman says : ' In rich meadow 

 flats, as in the Vale of Berkeley, the celebrated locality for the 

 production of Double Gloucester cheese, the Festuca pratensis 

 is a common and valuable denizen.' Again he says : ' In an 

 agricultural point of view Festuca pratensis is indicated for 

 best lowland pastures not liable to floods.' Scarcely any grass 

 equals this for land under irrigation, although it is entirely 

 unsuited to a water-logged soil. 



Some writers have recommended Meadow Fescue for 

 one or two years' leys, but as the plant requires three years 

 to attain maturity, I cannot advise the sowing of seed for a 

 shorter period than three or four years. I regard it as a land- 

 lord's grass, to be used principally for permanent pastures. 



Festuca pratensis seldom flowers until the end of June, 

 and does not usually mature seed until the first week in 

 August. The ripening of seed lowers the nutritive quality, 

 although it does not greatly diminish the bulk. Sinclair's 

 experiments proved that between the time of flowering and the 

 development of seed the depreciation in feeding value was 

 very serious indeed. But there is no need to anticipate loss on 



