COTTON GRASS. TIMOTHY GRASS. 31 
34. COTTON GRASS (Enophorum angmtifolium, 
Fig. 18). The seeds of this grass are encompassed with 
long cottony or wool-like hairs ; and so abundant are 
the plants in many tracts of marshy land, particularly 
in the northern parts of England, that the ground ap- 
pears almost as if covered with snow. 
Poor people sometimes stuff their pillows with the 
down of the cotton grass ; but there is a prevailing 
opinion that it is not wholesome to sleep on. This down 
is probably too brittle to be manufactured by itself into 
thread, yet, in combination either with wool or cotton, 
it may be spun into a strong and uniform yarn, from 
which gloves, stockings, and cloth, in small quantity, 
have been made. Its brittleness has been much cor- 
rected by a simple chemical process. Wicks for 
candles have sometimes been made of it. 
35. BULL-RUSH (Sclrpus lacmiris, Fig. 19). Of 
the stems of this plant the rush bottoms of chairs are 
made. Being of soft and pliant texture, totally desti- 
tute of roughness, the bull-rush is also sometimes used 
for the stuffing of pack saddles, making of mats, and 
thatching of cottages. 
36. MEADOW FOX-TAIL GRASS (Alopecurus 
pratensis, Fig. 20) is a very common but valuable kind,, 
which grows freely in moist and fertile pastures and 
meadows. It possesses, in a superior degree to any 
other grass, the three great requisites of quantity, qua- 
lity, and early growth. The best hay which is brought 
to London is said to be from meadows where this grass 
abounds; and, in many parts adjacent to the metropolis, 
it is extremely abundant. 
37. TIMOTHY GRASS, or MEADOW CATS- 
TAIL (Phleum pratense, Fig. 21), is a grass much cul- 
tivated in several parts of North America, and particu- 
larly in wet, loamy grounds, where, though coarse and 
hard, it is found extremely productive and useful. Such 
