LIGHT SEEDS, 141 
a dense sward, and is valuable for lawns. Sheep are very 
partial to it, and crop it down so closely that they do not 
allow it to make much headway. When freshly sown they 
will pluck it out by the roots, which they are not able to do 
after it has stood a little time, because its roots run deeply 
down into the sub-soil. This causes it to be a useful grass for 
land having dry, sandy, or chalky sub-soils. 
Lord Clifton, who is a practical botanist of repute, writes 
us, “that crested dogstail takes almost complete possession of 
some of the Kentish leys on certain downy soils, which proves. 
more its value on sheep walks.” 
It also thrives on heavy land, and although it makes but 
little difference to the bulk of the hay crop, it gives a splendid 
after-math ; besides, it is a late grass, increasing in vigour as the 
season advances, and it takes the place of many spring grasses 
which die down at that time. 
It is perennial, and by its assistance to a judicious mixture 
a pasture may be kept going throughout the summer. 
The casual observer sometimes mistakes crested dogstail 
for ryegrasses of the Zo/iwm family, but the habits of each are 
so separate and distinct, that we rather wonder thereat. 
Like many other grasses, it is greatly weakened if allowed 
to ripen its seeds, and when a pasture is neglected dogstail 
suffers severely. The old stalks stand the winter, and wher 
left they give the pasture a very rusty appearance in the 
spring. With the seedsman crested dogstail will never be a 
fayourite grass; it cannot be called cheap, and during the first 
year of its growth it gives very little show for the money 
expended on it ; still, the careful agriculturist seldom ignores it 
when laying down his permanent pasture. 
The seed of Melica caerulea, Linn., which is a rough inferior 
grass, and only useful to make litter and cover for game, very 
much resembles crested dogstail; but the seeds of the former 
are lighter in weight and darker in colour, and may easily be 
