AGRICULTURAL GRASSES 45 



FESTUCA OVINA TENUIFOLIA 

 (Fine-leaved Sheep's Fesciie). 



Only a small proportion of the seed sold in England under 

 the name of Festuca ovina tenuifolia is the true fine-leaved 

 variety. From descriptions which are pubhshed in this 

 country it is obvious that the distinguishing characteristics of 

 the seed are unknown to some of those who offer it, and as 

 it generally costs much more than seed of F. duriuscula or 

 F. rubra, the great diversity in the quotations for this grass 

 is easUy accounted for. 



The Fine-leaved Sheep's Fescue [F. ovina tenuifolia) is 

 the smallest grass cultivated for agricultural purposes, and is 

 perfectly distinct from other Fescues, being densely tufted, 

 with abundance of very narrow leaves and slender flower- 

 stalks. The herbage is succulent, although wiry in appearance, 

 and the culm has the pecuharity of being angular, whUe aU other 

 cultivated Fescues have round stalks. The plant comes into 

 flower the third week of June, grows from six to tweh^e inches 

 high, and retains its green colour during hot dry weather. 

 It is therefore much used in the making of lawns, for which 

 purpose it possesses a special value in combination with other 

 fine-leaved grasses. 



Where Fine-leaved Sheep's Fescue grows freely it is a 

 favourable indication of a healthy neighbourhood. 



For hay this gi-ass is practically useless, as the growth 

 is too dwarf to be gathered by machine or scythe. This 

 is pre-eminently a pasture grass for sheep on poor fight 

 soils and in hilly country, especially where the subsoil is 

 chalk, and it is generally believed to exercise a beneficial 

 influence on the wool. It forms a principal component 

 of the pastures on chalk downs, where its herbage is 

 very sweet and nom-ishing, and Southdown mutton doubt- 

 less owes its fine flavour and quality to being fed on this 



