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MEADOW FESCUE-GRASS. No plant whatever deserves so much the attention of the graziers as this grass. It has been justly esteemed by Mr. Curtis and all other persons practically acquainted with the produce of our meadows.
The seed is to be bought; two bushels per acres is sown usually alone. FESTUCA elatior. TALL FESCUE-GRASS. This in its wild state has been considered as a productive and nutritive grass; it grows best in moist places; but the seeds have been found in general abortive, and the grass consequently only to be propagated by planting the roots, a trouble by far too great to succeed to any extent.
SPIKED FESCUE-GRASS. I have observed this near the Thames side to be the principal grass in some of the most abundant meadows; and as the seeds are very plentiful, I am of opinion it might be very easily propagated: it is, however, not in cultivation at present. FESTUCA loliacea. DARNEL FESCUE-GRASS. This in appearance is very like the Lolium perenne, but is a more lasting plant in the ground.
"Several meadows at Roehampton, belonging to the late B. Goldsmid, Esq., were laid down with two bushels of Meadow fescue-grass and fifteen pounds of mixed Clover, and sown in the spring along with one peck and a half of Barley, intended as a shade to the young grasses.
POA fluitans. FLOTE FESCUE-GRASS. This would be of all others the most nutritive and best plant for feeding cattle; but it thrives only in water. I have noticed it only because it is highly recommended by the editor of Mr. Curtis's Observations on British Grasses, 5th edit. The cattle are very fond of it; but it is not to be cultivated, unless it be in ponds, being perfectly aquatic.
See Poa aquatica. FESTUCA duriuscula. HARD FESCUE-GRASS. A very excellent grass both for green fodder and hay, and would be well worth cultivating; but the seeds have not hitherto been saved in any quantity. Curtis observes that this grass grows thin on the ground after a time. I have sometimes observed this to be the case in the Botanic Garden, but it is otherwise in its native state of growth.
VIVIPAROUS FESCUE-GRASS. This affords a striking instance of the protection that Nature has contrived for keeping up the regular produce of the different species of plants; as when the Festuca ovina is found in very high mountainous situations, places not congenial to the ripening seeds of so light a nature, the panicle is found to become viviparous, i.e. producing perfect plants, which being beaten down with heavy rains in the autumn, readily strike root in the ground.
The seeds of this grass are small, and about one bushel would sow an acre of ground. FESTUCA rubra. RED or CREEPING FESCUE-GRASS. A fine grass, very like duriuscula; but it is not common in this part of the country; it grows plentifully on the mountains in Wales. It does not produce fertile seeds with us in the garden. FESTUCA pratensis.
This burrow is a vertical well, with a curb of fescue-grass intertwined with silk. You can see the eyes of the mighty Spider gleam at the bottom of the den like little diamonds, an object of terror to most. What a prey and what dangerous hunting for the Pompilus!
SHEEP'S FESCUE-GRASS. This is very highly spoken of in all dissertations that have hitherto been written on the merits of our grasses; but its value must be confined to alpine situations, for its diminutive size added to its slow growth renders it in my opinion very inferior to the duriuscula.
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