306 
MANAGEMENT OF [chap. ix. 
crested dog’s-tail grass (Cynosurus cristatus) 
is, however, the best for sustaining drought 
and heat, as its roots penetrate so deeply 
into the ground, as to keep its blades green, 
while all the grasses around it are quite 
brown from being burnt up. The hard 
fescue grass (Festuca duriuscula) is another 
kind which will stand the effects of dry 
weather; it is also a very fine dwarf grass, 
and springs early. Many other grasses 
might be named, but these will suffice. The 
proportion in which they ought to be mixed, 
is another, and an essential point; but at the 
same time it is one rather difficult to ascer¬ 
tain, as the seeds of the finer kinds of grasses 
are very often abortive, and do not germi¬ 
nate; and thus a larger quantity must be 
sown of them, than of those kinds, all the 
seeds of which are generally good. The 
seed of the meadow fox-tail grass (Alopecu- 
rus pratensis) is very often so bad, that not 
above one seed in three will germinate, con¬ 
sequently a much larger proportion of seed 
of this grass must be sown than of any of the 
others. This seed is very light, and conse¬ 
quently a pound of it, if bought by weight. 
