C 2 ] 
II. Alopecurus Pratensis. Meadow Fox-Tail Grafs. Fig. 2. 
PRODUCES its fpike almoft, and in fome fituations to the full, as early as the Anthoxanthum ; hence it is equally 
valuable as an early grafs ; and as it is much larger, and quicker in its growth, it is confequently much more produEtive : 
it {hoots vcrv rapidly after mowing, producing a very plentiful aftermath ; and where land is rich, and two crops are not 
thought too much for it to bear, of all our Englifh graffes this appears to be the beft adapted to fuch a purpofe, and ought 
to form a principal part of the crop : its foliage may, perhaps, appear coarfe to fome, but it fliould be remembered, that no 
Englifh grals can be productive that is not in fome degree coarfe ; but if mown early, juft as it comes into bloom, though 
the leaves are large the hay will not be coarfe ; in general, the great advantage arifing from the earlinefs of this and the 
preceding grals is entirely loft at a di (lance from London, where hay-making commences late, and where the hufbandman 
feems to wait for a crop of general indiferiminate herbage, rather than of grafs. 
The Meadow Fox-Tail is more confined as to its place of growth, growing naturally in a moift foil only; hence it is beft 
adapted to improve very wet ground that may be drained of its fuperfluous moitture, or to form or meliorate meadows that 
have a moift bottom, and are not apt to be burnt up in dry fummers. 
Its feeds are eafily collcEled, but a great number of them,, \ye believe, at lead one-tbird, are yearly deftroyed by a 
very minute orange-coloured larva or maggot, , which feeds on tire embryo of the feed, and produces a very fmall mufea 
or fly, probably the Mufea Frit of Linnmus. 
This grafs is diftinguiflied, in fome degree, by the largcnefs of its foliage, and by its producing a foft fpike on a long 
ftalk early in May. The Meadow Cats-Tail Grafs produces a fpike (omewhat fimilar, but rougher to the touch, and much 
later in the Cummer. 
III. Poa Pratensis. . Smooth-Stalked Meadow-Grafs. Fig. 3. 
THE foliage of this grafs begins to (hoot, and to affiime a beautiful verdure very early in the fpring, but its flowering 
ftems are not produced fo foon, by at lea ft a week, as thofe of the Alopecurus this trifling difference, however, in point 
of earlinefs of flowering, docs not prevent it from ranking very properly with the two preceding; and, where earlv 
graffy pafturage is a delideratum, we are of opinion it cannot better be obtained than by a combination of thefe three- if 
crop be at the fame time an object:, the Meadow Fox-Tail Grafs fliould predominate. 
This grafs rather affects a dry than a moift flotation, and hence it keeps its verdure in long-continued dry weather better 
than molt others but it will thrive in either ; will grow on the top of a dry wall, but grow much more luxuriantly in a rich 
meadow: it ;s to be obferved, however, that it has a root which creeps like the Couch-Grafs , and is almoft as difficult to 
extirpate; n ought therefore to be cautioufly introduced where the pafturage is not intended to be permanent. 
Of the trifling improvements which we flatter ourfelves to have. occafionally made in fome of the fpecific charaEters of 
the Englilh plants, none have given us more fatisfa&ion than thofe which relate to this fpecies and the Poa Trivialis two 
graffes (o very fimilar, as fcarcely to be djllinguiflied, even by the moft difeerning eye, at a little diftance, and verv obfcurelv 
characteri fed by Linmeus, but which, by attending to two charaHers only in each n- r ,f e ... . 1 . , y 
diftinguilhed by the utmoft facility and certainty. 
, may now, in a moment, be 
The Prato/,, has a fmooth ftalk, the Trivialis a rough one, perceptible when drawn betwixt the thumb and finger 
and which anfes from little (harp points, vifrblc when the (heath of the leaf which covers the ftalk is magnified vii ff,’ 
F'TF r a i 0n l? P “ mted mc '” bra “ e , at lb = “ of the leaf, fig. 5, the Prate»/,, a ihort blunt one 6 Thefe 
graffes differ fpecthcallp m a variety of other particulars, not neceffary here to dwell on, and which fuch as' wilh To be 
more particularly informed of, may confult the Flora Londinenfis. di> wim to Dc 
IV. Poa Trivialis. Rough-Stalked Meadow-Gra/s. Fig. r j. 
SII i I M| R - aS ,?’•* graf t a . nd Feeding are in their appearance, particularly in their mode of flowerine thev differ 
very effentially in their qualities. While the Smooth-Stalked Meadow-Grafs is found chiefly in dry paftures the^i Fv/.fS 
prmepa ly occurs in moift meadows, or on the edges of wet ditches; it loves moifture, and 
hence, though there are few grades more productive, or better adapted, for hay or pafturage it is a tender iaff anff * 
to be injured by fevere cold, or exccfiive drought: in very wet around near the Thames” ur g J •’ d llable 
being planted in our garden, Lambeth-Marlh, produced as follows : “ P dlfferCnt parts of the faid and which 
Turf i. Poa trivialis. 
Ranunculus acris. 
Triticum repens, 
Agroftis alba. 
1 ’urf 2. Poa trivialis, 
Alopecurus pratenfis. 
Triticum repens. 
Turf 3. Poa trivialis, 
Agroftis alba. 
Turf 4. Poa trivialis. 
Triticum repens. 
Peucedanum Silaus. 
Turf 5. Poa trivialis, 
Alopecurus pratenfis, 
Agroftis alba. 
Avena elatior. 
Triticum repens. 
meadow arofe not from any new grafs ^eoitiar 1 tcTit’ hmV^ be f° re f “ r P eaed > that the extraordinary fertility of this 
an uncommon degree, tile growth of certain welTkTowT gml^^elheTi^iyThT^TTr/Wnhf alia. Pa 01 ^ "S* 
** *F* » 
v. Festuca Prate N sis . Meadow Fefcue-Grafs. Fig. 8. 
OF the feveral graffes here recommended this n nm . n . . 
it feems to us, in many refpeEts, to be gready fuperi™ * e *^ 9 ^ to which, however, 
larger, and more produEtive of foliage ; it is ftriftly perennial it’ the P ul P oie °f forming or improving meadows • it is 
alfo in dry ground: we have found it growing, “TS.Sn F Very bardy * a » d will thrive not only in very we’t bu 
Batterfea; and it abounds in the very beft meadows fand jP lts at Charlton to the ofier-grounds^t 
deficiencies complained of in Ray-Grafs ; and yet it has noftlmwe kniwof T "° W ° f P°, grafs more likd X to Vupply the 
it has which bids fair to introduce it quickly Lo more general ufe i « 5 ^!“ part,c ? la ? y recommended. Onequality 
are eafily gathered, and readily grow. In one refneEl i- ; g f„r • 1 , P roduces more feeds than any of the others Vhirh 
ftems earlier than about the middle of time a r« P t ’V' S ' n (f nor to 11-12 three firft graffes; it does not produce irs fW - Cb 
be confidered as a late grafs, ^moffol I? ^ * he 
icmuft be careful, y diftingmM from t he F,jU„a W „ M 
VI. Cynosurus 
