72 THE NATURAL HISTORY OF BRITISH GRASSES. 
tion of the soil will quickly cause it to die out. It is too 
harsh to be eaten by cattle, so that it is fortunate that it is 
seldom to be met with in large quantities, being by far the 
rarer form of the meadow species. 
A. pubescens.—Besides its general hairiness, this is well 
distinguished from the preceding by its very short upper 
leaves, which, when compared with .4. pratensis, may be 
estimated as follows :—~ 
Proportions of | Proportions of | Proportions of 
Leaf-blade. Sheath. Leaves of base. 
Avena pubescens... .. 1 20 10 
os pratensis .. .. 10 25 40 
Its habitat is that of light upland pasture, in which it often 
forms a conspicuous feature, affording, however, but a small 
weight to the crop from the exceeding lightness of the 
culms and flowers, and its short after-leaves produce but 
little to the pasturage ; it is, however, a sweet grass in all 
its stages, and one which is well kept down by depasturing 
at all seasons. A small proportion in laying down perma- 
nent pasture in the upland meadow will hence be not 
without advantage. 
A. flavescens is, for the most part, a denizen of calcareous 
soils, on which it thrives remarkably well, being, though 
small, equal in point of produce to most other grasses by 
which it is surrounded, arising from the weak growth of 
some commoner and larger species on thin brashes. On 
this account it is a grass of great importance for admixture 
in light upland or limestone pastures, as it affords some 
sweet hay and no less good herbage for grazing—a circum- 
stance which, as Sinclair justly remarks, recommends it to 
form part of even richer meadows, “and more especially if 
the land be elevated and without good shelter, as it thrives 
better under such circumstances than any other;” and 
animals are very fond of it. 
