46 PERMANENT AND TEMPORARY PASTURES 



FESTUCA PRATENSIS 

 (Meadow Fescue). 



Much confusion has arisen from the fact that Linnaus 

 considered this grass to be a mere variety of F. elatior. 

 Hudson first gave it the rank of a distinct species under the 

 name of F. pratensis. Continental botanists still follow 

 Linnaeus and call it elatior, reserving for the larger species, 

 known by English botanists as elatior, the title of Festuca 

 arundinacea or Festuca littorea. We have now, however, 

 to deal with the smaller species, known in this country as 

 F. pratensis. 



Meadow Fescue is common in Great Britain and on 

 the continent of Europe, and its presence is a fairly certain 

 indication of good land. In situations adapted to the re- 

 quirements of the grass it scarcely suffers from winter cold or 

 white spring frosts. It flourishes in strong, deep soil, especially 

 in low-lying meadows and valleys where a moist atmosphere 

 prevails ; and in this country is rarely successful at an eleva- 

 tion of 500 feet above the sea level. Festuca pratensis is 

 abundant in the Vale of Aylesbury, which is noted for the 

 luxuriance of its pastures, and in well-drained clay districts 

 it is thoroughly at home. Professor Buckman says : ' In rich 

 meadow flats, as in the Vale of Berkeley, the celebrated 

 locality for the production of Double Gloucester cheese, the 

 Festuca pratensis is a common and valuable denizen.' Again 

 he says : ' In an agricultural point of view Festuca pratensis 

 is indicated for best lowland pastures not liable to floods.' 

 Scarcely any grass equals this for land under irrigation, 

 although it is entirely unsuited to a water-logged soil. 



Some writers have recommended Meadow Fescue for 

 one or two years' leys, but as the plant requires three years 

 to attain maturity, I cannot advise the sowing of seed for a 



