AGRICULTURAL GRASSES 43 



FESTUCA ELATIOR 

 {Tall Fescue). 



The indigenous variety of F. elatior, found in marshes, 

 ditches, and tidal waters of this country, is coarse, harsh, and of 

 little value for good pastm-es. On imperfectly drained clays, 

 unsuited to the growth of finer grasses, its merits as fodder 

 have been recognised by Sinclair and other authorities. Seed 

 is produced very sparingly and is generally attacked by clavus 

 (ergot), which renders it infertile. 



The Continental vai'iety, known as F. arundinacea, matm-es 

 fertile seed which is saved and exported to this country. The 

 plant is vigorous in growth and finds a congenial home on 

 moist clays and undi-ained fens, but is not quite so robust as 

 the native variety, of which specimens may be found in water- 

 meadows of the South of England. The herbage produced 

 by the imported seed is very coarse, but fairly nutritive in 

 quality, either cut for soUing, or after it has been harvested 

 as hay and reduced to chaff. 



Experience proves that this Fescue is not permanent on 

 soUs which differ materially from its natural habitat, and 

 therefore seed should be sown with judgment, especially as the 

 grass is liable to become ergo ted. 



True seed when compared with that of F. pratensis is 

 distinguishable by its larger size and the more pointed shape 

 of the grain. There is a perceptible roughness on the back of 

 each seed, the three nerves extending the whole length of the 

 grain being armed with minute spines which are visible under 

 an ordinary microscope. In the smaller seed of F. pratensis 

 these spines are entirely absent. 



The illustration published on page 162 of this work was 

 drawn from a portion of a plant raised from seed of the foreign 

 F. elatior {arundinacea). It wiU be observed that the plant 

 is far stronger in habit than is F. pratensis illustrated on 



