THE NATURAL HISTORY OF BRITISH GRASSES. 59 
when full grown, contain more nutriment than the leaves 
at any time ;” and his general conclusions respecting this 
grass are, that “it is more valuable for pasture than for 
hay, and, for the latter purpose, is superior to rye-grass and 
many others.” “If constantly kept closely grazed, it yields 
a greater profit than used in any other way, merely because 
the leaves grow rapidly, and give a full bite.” This, though 
appearing at first as somewhat paradoxical, is quite in 
accordance with our own observations, which lead us to 
conclude that, in all its stages, this is a highly valuable 
grass. This view, again, is confirmed by Mr. Way’s analy- 
sis, which determines it to belong to the best agricultural 
species. It has the merit of growing in almost any soil, 
and enduring a great range of climatal difference; it attains 
to maturity, or at least to as great a bulk as any other 
species, comparatively soon, and is, therefore, good for 
admixture in the laying down of permanent pasture, and 
might, we think be profitably employed in a mixture with 
rye-grass in seeds. Its more robust and faster growth than 
most other species should prevent its being used for lawns ; 
and the admirers of cricket should take care to have it 
expunged from their field—a consummation indeed which 
will soon result, even when present, from plenty of practice 
of the ‘noble sport.’ 
There is a variety in the seed-market known as giant 
cocksfoot; it is not different from the usual grass when in 
cultivation, which indeed sometimes attains gigantic pro- 
portions. 
Frstuca—ypanicle lax; glumes unequal; finely pointed 
outer glwmel, with a short awn or bristle at the 
summit. 
In this genus, so far as the farmer is concerned, we have. 
two types, which may be coveniently tabulated as follows:— 
a. Leaves more or less setaceous (hairlike). 
1. Festuca ovina—sheep’s fescue—leaves setaceous ; pan- 
icle diffuse ; rhizome absent.—P. 
