BOTANY AS APPLIED TO VETERINARY SCIENCE. 147 
sical assistance, carefully and systematically directed, united 
with manual dexterity, exerted equally— 
“ Suaviter in modo, et fortiter in re.” 
BOTANY AS APPLIED TO VETERINARY SCIENCE 
By W. Watson, M.R.C.V.S., Rugby. 
(Continued from p, 31.) 
Festuca (fescue grass).— “Panicle, more or less loose ; spike - 
lets, many flowered ; glumes, two, unequal, much shorter than 
the spikelet; glumellas , two, outer rounded at the back, 
taper pointed or awned at or near the summit; stamens, three ; 
styles, two;” terminal. (Pratt.) 
Of these, there are several varieties, but the principal is the 
Festuca pratensis (Meadow fescue).— “Panicle, always close; 
branches in pairs, one bearing a single spikelet, the other one 
or more spikelets ; these sometimes wanting; spikelets, five 
to ten, flowered; outer glumella, scarcely awned.” (Pratt.) 
A perennial grass, found in considerable quantities in mea¬ 
dows, and also in almost all other moist or irrigated pastures. 
It much resembles the floating meadow-grass, ( Poa fluitans), 
grows from one to two feet high, flowers in the latter end of 
June or beginning of July, and ripens its seed towards 
the commencement of August. It is much relished by all 
kinds of cattle; contains a considerable amount of nutriment; 
and on rich moist soils, when largely mixed with other 
grasses, affords good hay. I have found two or three varieties 
of this grass ergotized. 
Arrhenatlierum avenaceum (oat-like grass).— “Panicle, lax; 
glumes, of two valves, and two florets, the lowest of which 
has a long twisted awn, the upper one a short bristle on the 
outer glumel, lower floret with stamens only, upper one 
perfect, i. e. with stamens and pistils.” (Buckman.) Named 
from arrhen, male, and ather, an awn. 
This grass, which has been so called from its resemblance 
to the oat, is found growing upon light sandy, or sometimes 
upon poor clay soils. It attains a height of from three to 
six feet, and flowers during June and July. It throws up a 
considerable amount of herbage, which contains but little 
nutriment; and unless largely mixed with other grasses, 
