THE NATURAL IlISTORY OF BRITISH GRASSES. 47 
HL. pratense—much smaller than the former and decidedly 
pastoral in its habits, growing in good grass-fields and 
especially such as are liable to inundations, and also occu- 
pying a place in irrigated meadows—its herbage is of good 
quality, and all kinds of cattle graze and do well where it is 
abundant; but though its awns are not so long or so stiff 
as those of the H. murinwm, they are still highly objection- 
able in the hay crop. 
The presence of this grass is a good indication of condi- 
tion, as it always occurs to a greater or less extent in good 
meadows, but uniformly refuses to grow even in small 
quantity either on poor heath or sour undrained clays. 
Trit1cum—locusteé flat, alternate on the sides of the 
central axis (rachis); glumes transverse; external 
glumel either pointed or awned. 
The only species that need be here described are the 
following, which are distinguished from the rest of the 
genus by their creeping roots :— 
Triticum repens—creeping wheat or couch grass; glwmes 
ribbed ; locuste of from four to eight florets; the glwmels 
mostly awned, leaves broad and flat; rhizome much ecreep- 
ing.—P. 
T. junceum.—Rushy sea wheat-grass ; glumes obtuse, with 
many ribs; locuste of from four to five florets, without 
awns; leaves involute (folded) ; rhizome creeping.—P. 
The first of these constitutes the detested couch of the 
farmer, and is a grass more catholic in its tastes and habits 
than almost any other; so much so indeed, that hedge-rows, 
road-sides, the pasture-field, and waste places, no less than 
arable lands, all upon every kind of soil, will be occupied by 
it to a greater or less extent; and as lands in which it is 
allowed to increase are considered par excellence as “ foul,” 
the removal of couch is a matter in which all farmers are 
occupied and interested. Considering, therefore, the per- 
petual warfare that is waging against this grass, it is 
surprising how much of it still remains, even in some well- 
