GRASS. 
ing’ arable into grafs, tliis fpecies is invaluable. When 
land is in a proper ftale of cultivation, ray-grafs, united 
•with wliite clover, will form a perfetl fward tlie latter 
end of the fecond year after it is fown. For leaking 
into hay, it is necefl'ary to cut it at a period previous to 
its being fo ripe as to have perfected its feed, and 
changed its green Colour ; for in this cafe a great part 
of the juices of the plant, which conftitute the nutri¬ 
ment it is to afford, will be abforbed, and the ffalk be¬ 
comes a I'pecics of (traw, with all its nutritive proper¬ 
ties diminifiied. When it is made into hay, perl'ons 
not acquainted with its qualities are apt to object to its 
apparent coarfenefs, which proceeds from its confiffing 
alrtioff entirely of flowering-ffems, the Ray-grafs having 
a comparatively fmaller proportion of leaves than moft 
other gralTes. Whether this be a defeCt, or a merit, 
•will depend upon a folution of this queffion; Do the 
Items and flowering parts of grafs, or the leaves, taken 
weight for weight, contain the greater proportion of 
nutriment ? It docs not appear that this queltion has 
been determined by experiments inltituted for the pur- 
pofe ; but it feems probable, trom the (terns being fo 
much fweeter than the leaves, which is particularly 
perceptible upon chewing them when about half dry, 
and from thofe vegetables which contain much faccha- 
rine matter bemg particularly nutritious, that the 
greater proportionate quantity of nutriment will be 
found to refide in the (bilks ; and if fo, the advantages 
of Ray-grafs become deciffve. But, however this be, 
it is certain that, fuppofing wet weather comes on 
during the procefs of hay-making, the firft part of the 
grafs that decays is the leaf, which loon turns yellow, 
and then black, loling all its nutritive properties; in 
•which cafe, it is evident thatalmoff the whole nutriment 
contained in the hay muff refide, exclulively, in the 
flowcring-ftalks. Ray-grafs therefore has, in unfavour¬ 
able hay feafons, an advantage over all others, inaf- 
much as, from having fewer leaves, it is not fo apt to 
be injured by a continuance of rain : and it is befides, 
when in tlie cocks, more acceffible to the air and wind, 
from lying more open and light ; and confequently not 
fo apt to heat and mould as other grades in fimilar fitu- 
ations. Hence it appears that Ray-grafs/polfed'es the 
following valuable properties: i. That there are but 
few grades which come fo^early in the fpring. 2. That 
there are none 'better relifhed by cattle, or more nutri¬ 
tive. 3. 'riiat it has the power of refifting the eft'edds 
of bad weather in a greater degree than other grades. 
4. That there is a greater facility in collefiing its feed, 
and docking land therewith, than of any other grafs at 
prelent in cultivation.—See Lolium perenne. 
Meadow Soft Grass, or Yorkshire VVhite. 
This grafs is common in meadows and paftures, and 
is both hardy and produftive of foliage, but flowers 
much later than tiie firft of the above gralfes ; its fo¬ 
liage is loft and woolly; whence its charaderillic name. 
It thrives beft on foils of tlie moiff kinds ; but may be 
grown on almofl; any that are not very dry, and in poor 
condition ; yet even on thefe it is I'ometimes met witli. 
By ibnie cultivators it is chiefly advifed to be made ufe 
of with a view to flieep paffure, as not being found 
equally good for all other kinds of flock. For all pur- 
poles, however, if is found to anfwer bed; when kept 
very clofely fed. It vegetates in a quick manner, and 
hence affords good Iheep-feed in the winter feafon.—See 
Ho LCDS lanatus. 
Rough Cock’s-foot Grass, 
This is a coarfe fpecies, though very hardy and pro- 
dufitive. , It is commonly found in meadows; and is 
rather early in its growth. Some condemn it as not only 
an indifferent grafs, but one that is often rejected by 
cattle. Others, however, on the authority of experi¬ 
7U!t 
ence, confider it as highly valuable on mold loams, 
where the bottom is of a clayey nature, arid where grades 
that are of a finer kind are liable to be overpowered 
and dedroyed by plants more common to fuch (oil. 
Wlien it is kept clofely ted down, it affords good paf- 
turage for fheep ; but when this is neglefted, like many 
other grades, it becomes cqarle : if fown with red clo¬ 
ver, in the proportion of two budiels of the grafs-feeds 
to ten pounds of the clover, it forms a better fward ; 
and as the latter ivears out or difappears, the former re¬ 
fumes its place, and thickly covers th'c land. It is alfo 
a grafs that vegetates better during the winter feafon 
than many others. It affords much feed, and has there¬ 
fore. been found highly beneficial in affording early 
fpring feed for fheep.—SeeDACTYLis glomerata. 
Tall Oat Grass, 
This is almod every where found abundantly in mea¬ 
dows, It is indeed coarfe ; but it is early and produc¬ 
tive, and affords a plentiful aftermath. In value it ap¬ 
proaches the Meadow Fox-tail, for which it may, in 
many cafes, be made a good fubflitute. It is cultivated 
on the continent with advantage. This, like the pre- 
ceding grafs, is found the moft beneficial when retained 
in a dole ftate of feeding. It makes good hay, and ex¬ 
periment has ffiown it to afford a greater weight of pro¬ 
duce than moft other gralfes. See Avena elatior. 
Meadow Cat’s-Tail, or Timothy Grass, 
This grafs- fucceeds beft in all moift foils and fitua- 
tions, is very produdtive, but coarfe and late. It pof- 
fell'es no advantages over the Meadow Fox-tail. It is 
the moft proper for clays, the moifter kinds of loams, 
and thofe of the peat moor. On thele foils it has been 
found very ufeful, efpecially when kept clofely led 
down by fheep. According to the accounts of travel¬ 
lers in America, it conftitutes the principal fupport of 
cattle and otlter animals, in their deep favannahs and 
lands of the natural meadow kind. It affords plenty of 
feed, of which a bulhel is faid to be fufticient, when 
mixed with thofe of other forts, to fow four or five acres 
of land. This feed is now commonly imported from 
America.—See Phleum pratenfe. 
Of thofe great and valuable aids to the fuftentation 
of Iheep and cattle, called Ar tificial Grasses, Dr. 
Dickfon recommends the higheft regard to the Dutch 
or white clover; for which fee Tp,ifolium repens: the 
marl-clover or cow-grafs ; for which fee Trifolium 
medium : the trefoil or black non-fuch ; for which fee Me- 
DiCAGO lupulina ; the bird’s-foot trefoil ; for which fee 
Lotus corniculatus : the true red clover ; for w'hich lee 
Trifolium pratenfe: the French clover or faintfoin ; 
for wdiich fee Hedysarum onobrichis: and the luxu¬ 
riant lucern; for whicli fee Medicago fativo ■, with 
the correfpondent Engravings to each genus.—And tor 
the moft improved methods of cultivation, both of the 
natural and artificial Gralfes, I'ee the article lius- 
B A N D R Y . 
Fo GRASS, d. n. To breed grafs; to become pafture : 
Land arable, driven, or worn to the proof. 
With oats ye may fow it, the fooner to grafs, 
More foon to be pafture, to bring it to pals. Tuffer, 
GRASS'-COCK, f. A fmall heap of motved grafs 
lying the firft day to dry. * 
GRASS'-GREEN, adj. Green with g'rafs: 
Ah ! not the nymph fo blooming and fo gay. 
That led the dance beneath the fellive (hade ; 
But (he, that in the morning of her day 
Intomb’d beneath the grafs-green fod was laid, Shenji. 
GRASS'-HEARTtI, y. In the feudal law, the grafing 
or turn-ing up the earth with a plough ; whence the cul- 
tomary fervice for the inferior tenants of the manor of 
Amerfdeiij, 
