I 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, May 19, 1857. 
WEEKLY CALENDAR. 
97 
Weather near London in 
1856. 
D 
M 
D 
W 
MAY 19—25, 1857. 
Barometer. 
Thermo. 
Wind. 
Rain in 
Inches. 
Sun 
Rises. 
Sun 
Sets. 
Moon 
R.&S. 
Moon’s 
Age. 
Clock 
af. Sun. 
Day of 
Year. 
19 
Tu 
Field Madder (Sherardia). 
29 . 996 - 29.702 
70—30 
S.W. 
— 
4 a. 4 
48 a. 7 
2 13 
25 
3 48 
139 
20 
W 
Woodroof (Asperula odora). 
30.058—30.019 
71—30 
• • 
— 
3 
50 
2 26 
26 
3 45 
140 
21 
Th 
Ascension. Holy Thurs. 
29 . 937 — 29.746 
73—50 
s. 
24 
2 
51 
2 40 
27 
3 41 
141 
22 
F 
Mugwort (Galium). 
29 . 634 — 29.586 
64—36 
S.W. 
16 
1 
52 
2 57 
28 
3 37 
142 
23 
S 
Goosegrass (G. aparine). 
29 . 576 — 29.482 
66—42 
S • 
04 
III 
54 
sets 
3 32 
143 
24 
Sun 
Sun. af. Asc. Q. Vict. b. 1819 
29 . 549 — 29.475 
63—42 
S.W. 
01 
58 
55 
9 a. 59 
1 
3 27 
144 
25 
M 
IPrs. Helena b. 1846. 
29 . 807 — 29.491 
64—44 
S.W. 
14 
57 
56 
11 6 
2 
3 22 
145 
Meteorology of the Week. — At Chiswick, from observations during the last twenty-eightyears, the average highest and lowest 
temperatures of these days are 66.0°, and 44.4°, respectively, 
on the 24th, in 1854. During the period 113 days were fine, 
The greatest heat, 89 , occurred on the 23rd, 
and on 83 rain fell. 
in 1847; 
and the lowest cold, 30°, 
USEFUL GARDEN GRASSES. 
AYE'NA FLAVE'SCENS. 
(Yellowish Oat Glass—Golden Oat.) 
We have not described and depicted all the Grasses 
sufficiently ornamental to deserve a place in garden 
| borders, but until we have cultivated and ascertained 
j with certainty the names and characteristics of others 
sent to us as ornamental we must refrain from publish¬ 
ing them. We shall have acquired this knowledge, we 
hope, in the course of the present summer. In the 
meantime we will proceed to give portraits and de¬ 
scriptions of the Grasses which should be sown for 
forming the best lawns and bowling greens, to be kept 
short only by mowing and rolling. 
Before proceeding to do so we will publish a table, 
borrowed from Messrs. Peter Lawson and Son’s Agros- 
tographia, of the Grasses, and the quantities recom¬ 
mended by them to be employed in forming such turf 
on soils varying from light to heavy. 
Names of Grasses. 
Light soil. 
Medium 
soil., 
Heavy 
soil. 
Avena Jlavescens (Yellowish 
lbs. 
lbs. 
lbs. 
Oat Grass) . 
Cynosurus cristatus (Crested 
1 
1 
— 
Dog’s Tail) . 
Festuca duriuscula (Hard 
' 8 
9 
10 
Fescue). 
Festuca ovina tenuifolia 
(Fine - leaved Sheep’s 
3 
4 
5 
Fescus). 
Loliumperenne tenue (Fine- 
2 
2 
1 
leaved Rye Grass) . 
Poa nemoralis (Wood Mea- 
20 
22 
24 
dow Grass) . 
Poa nemoralis sempervirens 
(Hudson’s Bay Meadow 
2 
2 
2 
Grass) . 
Trifolium repens (White 
4 
4 
4 
Clover) . 
7 
7 
7 
Trifolium minus (Trefoil)... 
2 
2 
1 
“ If the ground is much shaded by trees, 2 lbs. of j 
Poa nemoralis sempervirens and 2 lbs. of Poa nemoralis 
should be substituted for the Festuca tenuifolia and 
Avena Jlavescens. In walks, bowling greens, &c., wished 
to be kept as dry as possible, especially towards the end 
of the season, Trifolium repens should be sparingly in¬ 
troduced, and an equal weight of Cynosuriis cristatus and 
Festuca duriuscula be substituted for it. When it is 
intended to mow the grass by a machine, instead of by 
the common scythe, greater proportions of Festuca 
duriuscula and F. ovina tenuifolia may be sown.” 
Avena Jlavescens is a perennial. Roots creeping. Stems 
a foot high, rather slender, leafy, smooth, with several, 
sometimes hairy, purplish joints. Leaves yellowish 
green, narrow, flat, tapering, pointed, hairy on both 
sides, rough-edged, many-ribbed. Leaf-sheaths ribbed, 
having numerous bent-down hairs. Stipules short, 
jagged, fringed. Flower-head a panicle, three inches 
long, rather close, much-branched, half-whorled, spread¬ 
ing, erect, but sometimes rather drooping, becoming 
compact and erect when the seed is ripening, formed of 
No. CCCCLI. Vol. XVIII. 
