This Grafs teems to be of a very warm, aromatic quality, and therefore may poftibly be of great ufe in 
preventing or curing the diforders which cattle are liable to in the Spring. But if the ranknefs and heaving of 
cheefe be owing to the eflential oil of the plants which are taken in as food by the cows (as Mr. Marshall, in 
his rural Economy of Gloucefterfbire lately published, has by reafon and experiment rendered more than probable) 
however beneficial it may be as a medicinal plant, it is likely to be detrimental in another refpedt as an article of 
pafture for kine. 
The Tips of the flowers are at firft flefh-coloured, and afterwards of a purple hue. For further remarks on this 
Grafs, lee Curtis’s Flora Londinenfis, Stillingfleet’s Tracts, and Anderson’s Eflays on Agriculture and 
rural Affairs. 
ALOPECURUS PRATENSIS. (Lin.) 
MEADOW FOX- 7 'AIL GRASS. (Hudson, Curtis, Withering and Ligiitfoot.) 
BULBOUS FOX-TAIL GRASS. (Anderson.) 
There is another of the Grades among thefe fpecimens, which bears a Spike fomewhat refembling this : which 
is the Phleum or Catjlail. But as that does not appear till the month of July; and this is one of our earlieft 
Grades, there will be no danger of their being confounded. The Spike of the Catftail is in general longer, and 
very rough to the feeling, owing to the fliarp, forked termination of the hulks: whereas the Spike of the Foxtail 
feels very foft and fmooth. Its anthers or tips are likewife larger than tliofe of the Catftail. This Grafs abounds 
chiefly in rich, moift foils; and it is oftener to be met with in fmall inclofures, at no great diftance from the 
hedges, and in fheltered places, than it is in large open meadows, and champaign paftures. It bloflfoms the 
beginning of May, lcu'ccly later than the Vernal. The feed is not in fo great hafte to quit the ftalks, as that of 
many of the Grades »•: yet it is by no means an eafy matter to colled: a quantity of good feed, owing to a 
peculiar fpecies of infeds, which inhabit the huflcs and make the tender feed their food. Thefe infeds are the 
Larva or Caterpillars of a fpecies of Mufca , or Fly. 
Mr. Curtis, in a note fubjoined to his Obfervations on the Foxtail Grafs, in the Flora Lond. has done the 
Author the honour to quote his remark, which was firft publiflied in the 2d Volume of the Bath Society's 
Memoirs. That ingenious Writer has fince obferved (fee Annals of Agriculture N°. 70, P. 349) that he believes 
one third of the feed sn yearly deftroyed by the ravages of thefe infeds. From this oblervation it appears that he 
has been more fortunate than the Writer of this has been; fince, from his experience he has concluded that at 
lead: two thirds of the feed are conftantly deftroyed by their ravages. Indeed, fo very general and fo very numerous 
are thefe infeds in the fituation defcribed, as feemingly to juftify an apprehcnfion that they would foon multiply 
to fuch a degree as entirely to exterminate this fpecies of Grafs; at leaft eftldually to hinder its propagation 
by feed.—But this the difpenfation of an all-wife Providence prevents, by the inftrument of another fpecies of 
infed, which makes thefe Larvae its peculiar food. This is a fpecies ot Cimex or Bug; whofe roftrum or trunk 
appears to be peculiarly adapted for penetrating between the hulks of this Grafs, and extrading the fubftance of 
thefe minute infeds which inhabit them. This infed, like moft of the fpecies of Cimex , when cruihed, or even 
handled, is exceedingly oftenfive to the fmell. And fo corpulent does it become by its gluttony, that, altho’ it is 
furniftjed with wings, it can fcarcely make any ufe of them ; and not even walk with any agility. It is probable 
that it deftroys thoufands in a day. — How fuperlatively wonderful are the providential difpenlations of the great 
Creator! Without his particular diredion a fingle fpecies of Grafs can no more become extind, than an individual 
fparrow fall to the ground. 
There is another circumftance peculiar to this Grafs, which, it is believed, has not been taken notice of before; 
and that is, that its ftalk continues green and fucculent after the huflcs are dropped from it. Which, as this 
happens a confiderable time before the feafon of hay-making, will no doubt be looked upon as a circumftance in 
its favour as a Hay-Grafs. 
Thole who are about to colled the feed of this Grafs need not cut off the ftalks; as the huflcs with the contained 
feed are readily ftripped off by drawing the Spikes' thro’ the hand. But on account of the abovementioned 
circumftances, the collector muft exped a large proportion of chaff, with a very little feed.* 
A leed of this Grafs greatly relembles a grain of wheat in miniature. 
7 he ant her a of the bloflbms are in general purple, but in foine varieties of a very pale yellow. 
See Curtis s Flora , Stillingfleet's Trails, and Anderjbn s EJJiiys. 
jdfrt/d/iaAHLe 
B R O M U S MOLLIS. (Lin.) 
SOFT BROME GRASS. (Curtis and Ligiitfoot.) 
FIELD BROME GRASS. (H UDSON.) 
SOFT BROOM GRASS. (Withering.) 
In pafture grounds that are conftantly grazed, this Grafs appears but feldom, but in thofe that are frequently 
nnaer the Scythe, ,t is very abundant. In many fields near large Towns this Grafs at mowing time Items to be 
aimoft the foie crop. The reafon of which is apprehended to be, that, being an early biennial Grafs, and its 
leeds being conftantly ripe at the time of mowing, and eafily parting from the panicle, are by the operation of 
hay-maxing, p entifully fcattered on the ground, where they vegetate and ftrike root with the firft rain that falls. 
Ana producing, moreover, quick and ftrong-growing plants, when they have once taken pofleflion of the around, 
they continue to keep it. In grounds that are conftantly paitured the cafe is otherwife. Tho 1 we (hould conceive 
Inch grounds for once to be lufficiently (locked with plants of this Grafs, yet they would not long keep poiTeflion. 
As foon as the flowering ftalksftot up early m the Spring, they would be immediately cropped by the cattle * and, 
this being a Grafs which lafts only part of two years, and requires to be continually re,tewed by feed, in fuch 
I,tuitions, it would loon be extirpated j or, if not totally expelled, would appear but unfrequently. 
The leeds are large and approach to the fize and nature of Corn. And it is faid that the feeds of feme fpecies 
of tins Genus mixed with Corn may be ufed to make bread: but when mixed in too large a proportion^ they 
render the bread brown andI bitter; and thofe who eat it experience a temporary giddinefs P X 
Being the only fpecies of this genus introduced among thefe fpecimens, it will be readily known from the reft. 
There is however another pec.es of &ome which occurs not unfrequently in lands which have been newly laid 
down to Grafs, namely, the BromtaJlerths, or barren Brome, which has very long awns farifta:) and flowers'early 
feit^o [heSoftBro 7 ° U 'T’ U W “ thou S ht “nneceLy to ^roduc e a fpecimen of J. 
The Tips of the Soft Biome are fmall in proportion to the feed and panicle. They are when firft protruded of 
a nright orange colour, and afterwards change to a brown or fnuff-colour. It affeds dry land and he feed might 
I?‘L b er.“ni^in 6 ^ 1 ^ ** ^ ^ ca^y^nd^ 
Further obfervations on this Grafs may be read in Curtis’s Flora. 
. * r! he Author is happv to find, by a communication to the Editor of the Annals of AoHonln,.. e r „ 
tnat Puolication, that all obllruftions to the cultivation of this Grafs are in a fair way of b^ing overcom™ LEWIt ^ajendie, Efq; printed in the 71ft N°* of 
