E40 PRACTICAL NOTES ON GRASSES AND GRASS GROWING, 
drought, and likes the shade of trees. Stock are moderately 
fond of it, and it is an incessant grower, so much so, that it is 
sometimes called Semper virens. Botanists tell us that Poa 
nemoralis is a distinct species from Semper virens, but to the 
agriculturist no difference is apparent. It is of a dwarfish 
nature, and when true seeds can be procured it is excellent in 
lawn mixtures. 
With all these fancy grasses, one runs a great risk when 
sowing, however careful the merchants may be in selecting 
their samples, because most of these grasses are gathered 
by hand, and bad and inferior grass seeds are inadvertently 
collected at the same time, which are next to impossible to 
eject ; for example, there is so little difference between the seed 
of Poa nemoralis and that of Aira caspitoso (hassock grass), that 
it is difficult to distinguish the one from the other in the sample 
with the aid of a magnifying glass; even then some difficulty 
is experienced. For our reader’s information, we would point 
out that the seed of hassock grass is more shiny in 
appearance, is thicker in form at the lower end, where it is 
also fringed with tiny white hairs, whilst the awn protrudes 
upwards to the end of the seed. 
SWEET REED Grass (Poa aquatica, Linn. GLyYcERIA, 
SMITH, Baz.). 
The name of this grass implies its nature. It flowers in 
July and August, thrives in very wet situations, and when used 
on water-slain lands often makes good hay. Stock will eat it; 
but there is always some difficulty in procuring dependable 
seeds. 
CRESTED DocsraiL (CYNOSURUS CRISTATUS, LINN.). 
Crested dogstail is a short-growing, dwarfy grass, which 
assimilates itself to almost any soil ; it materially assists to form 
