146 PRACTICAL NOTES ON GRASSES AND GRASS GROWING. 
in germinating power. Without a very careful examination it 
is a difficult matter to distinguish the seed of yellow oat grass 
from that of wavy mountain hair grass (Aira flexuosa), which 
latter is a grass of an inferior description. The seed of the 
former is slender in appearance and of a lightish brown colour, 
whilst the seed of the latter is darker and stouter; they both 
have a bent awn protruding about two-thirds of the way up the 
seed germ, and bending outwards in the yellow oat grass, but 
which starts from the base in the wavy mountain hair grass, 
and at the back displays some long white hairs, 
We think it desirable that yellow oat grass should not be 
ignored either in temporary or permanent pastures. It is 
amongst the lightest of grasses, an imperial bushel only 
weighing 12 lb, and giving about a million and a half of 
seeds to the pound; but not half of this quantity will 
germinate. 
The wavy mountain hair grass is a heavier seed, and, like 
all inferior imitations, it germinates very much better than 
yellow oat grass. 
TIMOTHY OR MEapow CartstalL (PHLEUM PRATENSE, LINN.). 
Timothy is a vigorous growing grass, but differs from 
cocksfoot in that it is later; it does not form such big stools, 
nor grow so vigorously after the first hay crop has been taken 
from it ; but it is more difficult to eradicate, and it is clearly a 
more cultivated species than cocksfoot. Again, it grows more 
erect and taller than cocksfoot, and the hay from it is more 
nutritious after it has been allowed to get fairly old, especially 
when the seeds are partially formed in the head. 
The hay buyer may object to the coarse appearance of its 
sample, still, its value as food has been proved to be 
particularly increased if chaffed before it is given to the stock, 
thus preventing any undue waste. 
It is a perennial, but it is not indigenous to this country, 
