AGEICULTUBAL GEASSES. 51 



ovina, and it will afterwards appear that lie was referring to Festuca 

 duriuscula. Again, Festuca duriuscula, Festuca rubra, and Festuca 

 heterophylla are all occasionally mistaken one for another. The 

 dwarf Festuca ovina tenuifoUa, or angustifolia, differs from them 

 all, not only in growth, but in the seed, which is small, smooth, 

 and of a golden-brown colour, while the seed of all the others 

 is larger and of a darker hue. 



Only a small proportion of the seed sold in England under 

 the name of Festuca ovina tenuifoUa is the true fine-leaved va- 

 riety. From descriptions which are published 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 easily accounted for. 



The Fine-leaved Sheep's Fescue {F. ovina tenuifoUa) 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 culm has the 

 peculiarity of being angular, while all other cultivated Fescues 

 have round stalks. It is said to lose this characteristic in strong 

 soils, but I think it probable that Festuca rubra, which is more at 

 home in such soils, elbows its dwarf cousin out of existence, and 

 that this is the reason why no angular Fescue stems are there to 

 be found. The herbage of Festuca ovina tenuifoUa is succulent, 

 although so wiry in appearance. The plant comes into flower the 

 third week of June, grows from six to twelve 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, although alone it will not form a compact turf. 



Where this grass grows freely it is a pretty good indication 

 of a healthy neighbourhood. 



For hay Sheep's Fescue is practically useless. The growth 

 is too dwarf to allow the machine or scythe to take hold of 

 it, and horned stock show it no favour. It is pre-eminently a 

 pasture grass for sheep on poor hght soils and in hilly country, 



