3 FIORIN GRASS. 
has been the celebrity of Timothy grass, that a gentle- 
man (William Strickland, Esq.) was requested by the 
Board of Agriculture to make inquiries concerning it ; 
and, from his remarks, it appears that this grass is the 
chief support of cattle wherever the meadows of it 
abound. He saw extraordinary crops of Timothy grass 
growing, as thickly as it could stand upon the ground, 
three or four feet high, and, in some instances, as coarse 
as wheat straw. It is cut before it arrives at maturity ; 
and horses are said to prefer the hay that is made of it 
to every other kind, and to thrive peculiarly well upon it. 
Though a native and very common grass in our own 
country, it is doubtful whether our climate be sufficiently 
warm to bring it to the same perfection in which it is 
found in America. It has, however, been cultivated in 
England with considerable success ; and, when used for 
green food, for which it is particularly calculated, it 
may be cut two or three times in one season ; but, when 
intended for hay, it should be cut at least a week before 
it flowers. 
38. FIORIN, or ORCHESTON LONG GRASS 
(Agrostis stolonifera, Fig. 22), is known as a troublesome 
weed in moist meadows and pastures, and also in cold 
and stiff arable land, by name of Black Squitch or Bent- 
grass. It grows with such luxuriance, lying upon the 
ground, and taking root at the different joints, that the 
stems are sometimes several feet in length ; and, when 
cultivated as a crop, it has been known to produce, at 
two cuttings, betwixt seven and eight tons per acre. 
This grass was first brought into notice as a grass for 
hay, by a small tract of meadow ground, in which it was 
cultivated several years ago, at a village called Orches- 
ton, in Wiltshire. Horses, sheep, and cattle are said 
to be extremely partial to it, and to prefer the hay 
which is made from it to any other. To be in perfec- 
tion, it requires a moist climate, or a wet soil ; and it 
will grow on cold clays, that are unfitted for other 
grasses. 
