in botany, is defined to be a plant having simple leaves, a stem generally jointed and tubular, a husky calyx (called gluma), and the seed single. Hence wheat, oats, barley, &c. are properly grasses, according to the definition given; while clover and some other similar plants are not grasses, though so frequently called by that name.—Of grasses, the leaves are food for cattle, the small seeds for birds, and the larger grain chiefly for man. And it is observable, that nature has so provided, that cattle (in grazing) seldom eat the flower intended to produce seed, unless compelled by hunger.
For the culture of the different sorts of grain, see AGRICULTURE, no 122. &c.; and for that of the grasses commonly so called, see the same article, no 175. &c., and the references below.
Culmiferous grasses might be divided into two general classes for the purposes of the farmer, that it might be of use for him to attend to: viz. 1st, Those which, like the common annual kinds of corn, run chiefly to seed-stalks; the leaves gradually decaying as these advance towards perfection, and becoming totally withered or falling off entirely when the seeds are ripe. Rye-grass belongs to this class in the strictest sense. To it likewise may be assigned the vernal-grasses, dogs tail-grasses, and fine bent-grasses. 2dly, Those whose leaves continue to advance even after the seed-stalks are formed, and retain their verdure and succulence during the whole season, as is the case with the fescue and poa tribes of grasses, whose leaves are as green and succulent when the seeds are ripe and the flower-stalks fading, as at any other time.
"It is wonderful, Mr Stillingfleet remarks, to see how long mankind has neglected to make a proper advantage of plants of such importance, and which, in almost every country, are the chief food of cattle, &c. The farmer, for want of distinguishing and selecting grasses for feed, fills his pastures either with weeds or bad or improper grasses; when, by making a right choice, after some trials, he might be sure of the best grass, and in the greatest abundance that his land admits of. At present, if a farmer wants to lay down his land to grass, what does he do? he either takes his seeds indiscriminately from his own foul hay-rick, or sends to his next neighbour for a supply. By this means, besides a certain mixture of all sorts of rubbish, which must necessarily happen, if he chances to have a large proportion of good seeds, it is not unlikely but that what he intends for dry land may come from moist, where..." where it grew naturally, and the contrary. This is such a slovenly method of proceeding, as one would think could not possibly prevail universally; yet this is the case as to all grasses except the darnel-grass, and what is known in some few counties by the name of the Suffolk-grass; and this latter instance is owing, I believe, more to the soil than any care of the husbandman. Now, would the farmer be at the pains of separating once in his life half a pint or a pint of the different kinds of grass-seeds, and take care to sow them separately, in a very little time he would have wherewithal to stock his farm properly, according to the nature of each soil, and might at the same time spread these seeds separately over the nation, by supplying the seed-shops. The number of grasses fit for the farmer is, I believe, small, perhaps half a dozen or half a score are all he need to cultivate; and how small the trouble would be of such a task, and how great the benefit, must be obvious to every one at first sight. Would not any one be looked on as wild who should sow wheat, barley, oats, rye, peas, beans, vetches, buck-wheat, turnips, and weeds of all sorts together? yet how is it much less absurd to do what is equivalent in relation to grasses? Does it not import the farmer to have good hay and grass in plenty? and will cattle thrive equally on all sorts of food? We know the contrary. Horses will scarcely eat hay that will do well enough for oxen and cows. Sheep are particularly fond of one sort of grass, and fatten upon it faster than any other, in Sweden, if we may give credit to Linnæus. And may they not do the same in Britain? How shall we know till we have tried?"
As the generality of farmers know scarce any of the grasses by name, and as without such knowledge little improvement can be made in this branch of husbandry, we have on Plate CCXXIII. given figures of those sorts which have been recommended as the most profitable, viz.
1. Hordeum murinum, Rye-grass vulg. [Rye-grass propriety is the secale vulgatum. Perennial darnel, lolium perenne, is also, in some counties of England, improperly called rye grass.] See Agriculture, no 179.
2. Festuca rubra, Purple Fescue-grass. See Agriculture, no 54.
3. Festuca oina, Sheeps ditto. See Agriculture, no 56—58. This is perhaps the most valuable grass of all. It is observed to grow and thrive on lands of all qualities and in all situations, from the driest upland pastures to the very moist parts of meadows. It does not part with its seeds till some time after they are ripe, and even quite dry. It makes the thickest and closest pile of any of them, and sends up but few flower-stalks in proportion to its leaves. It flowers in June, and is ripe in July.
4. Holcus lanatus, Creeping Soft-grass. See Agriculture, no 59.
5. Alopecurus bulbosus, Bulbous Foxtail-grass, is recommended by Dr Anderdon, as promising on some occasions to afford a valuable pasture-grass. It seems chiefly, he observes, to delight in a moist soil, and therefore promises to be only fit for a meadow pasture grass. The quality that first recommended it to his notice, was the unusual firmness that its matted roots gave to the surface of the ground, naturally soft and moist, in which it grew; which seemed to promise that it might be of use upon such soils, chiefly in preventing them from being much poached by the feet of cattle which might pasture upon them. Muddy soils especially are so much hurt by poaching, that anything that promises to be of use in preventing it deserves to be attended to.
6. Poa pratensis, Great Meadow-grass, seems to approach in many respects to the nature of the purple-fescue; only that its leaves are broader, and not near so long; being only about a foot or 16 inches at their greatest length. Like it, it produces few seed-stalks and many leaves, and is an abiding plant. It affects chiefly the dry parts of meadows, though it is to be found on most good pastures. It is very retentive of its seeds, and may therefore be suffered to remain till the stalks are quite dry. It blossoms the beginning of June, and its seeds are ripe in July.
7. Poa compressa, Creeping Meadow-grass, according to Dr Anderdon, seems to be the most valuable grass of any of this genus. Its leaves are firm and succulent, of a dark Saxon-green colour; and grow so close upon one another, as to form the richest pile of pasture-grass. The flower-stalks, if suffered to grow, appear in sufficient quantities; but the growth of these does not prevent the growth of the leaves, both advancing together during the whole summer; and when the stalks fade, the leaves continue as green as before. Its leaves are much larger and more abundant than the common meadow-grass, poa trivialis; and therefore it better deserves to be cultivated.
8. Anthoxanthum odoratum, Vernal Grass, grows very commonly on dry hills, and likewise on found rich meadow-land. It is one of the earliest grasses we have; and from its being found on such kinds of pastures as sheep are fond of, and from whence excellent mutton comes, it is most likely to be a good grass for sheep-pastures. It gives a grateful odour to hay. In one respect, it is very easy to gather, as it sheds its seeds upon the least rubbing. A correspondent of the Bath Society, however, mentions a difficulty that occurs in collecting them, owing to its being surrounded with taller grasses at the time of its ripening, and being almost hid among them. If it be not carefully watched when nearly ripe, he observes, and gathered within a few days after it comes to maturity, great part of the seed will be lost. The twisted elastic awns, which adhere to the seed, lift them out of their receptacles with the least motion from the wind, even while the straw and ear remain quite erect. It is found mostly in the moist parts of meadows; very little of it on dry pastures. It flowers about the beginning of May, and is ripe about the middle of June.
9. Cynosurus cristatus, Crested Dog's-tail Grass. Mr Stillingfleet imagines this grass to be proper for parks, from his having known one, where it abounds, that is famous for excellent venison. He recommends it also, from experience, as good for sheep; the best mutton he ever tasted, next to that which comes from hills where the purple and fleecy fescue, the fine bent, and the silver hair grasses abound, having been from sheep fed with it. He adds, that it makes a very fine turf upon dry sandy or chalky soils; but unless swept over with the scythe, its flowering-tips will look brown. brown; which is the case of all grasses which are not fed on by variety of animals. For that some animals will eat the flowering-items is evident by commons, where scarcely any parts of grasses appear but the radical leaves. This grass is said to be the easiest of the whole group to collect a quantity of seed from. It flowers in June, and is ripe in July.
10. *Stipa pennaea*, Cock's-tail or Feather Grass.
11. *Agrostis capillaris*, Fine Bent, is recommended by Mr Stillingfleet, from his having always found it in great plenty on the best sheep pastures, in the different counties of England that are remarkable for good mutton. This grass flowers and ripens its seed the latest of them all. It seems to be lost the former part of the year, but vegetates luxuriantly towards the autumn. It appears to be fond of moist ground. It retains its seed till full ripe; flowers the latter end of July, and is ripe the latter end of August.
12. *Avena flexuosa*, Mountain Hair.
13. —— *caryophylla*, Silver Hair.
The same may be said of these two grasses as of the preceding one.
14. *Festuca fluitans*, Flore Fescue. In a piece published in the *Annuitates Academicae*, vol. 3, entitled *Plantes Eculentes*, we are informed, that "the seeds of this grass are gathered yearly in Poland, and from thence carried into Germany, and sometimes into Sweden, and sold under the name of manna seeds. These are much used at the tables of the great, on account of their nourishing quality and agreeable taste. It is wonderful (adds the author), that amongst us these seeds have hitherto been neglected, since they are so easily collected and cleaned." There is a clammy film on the ear of the flore-fescue, when the seeds are ripe, that tastes like honey; and for this reason perhaps they are called manna seeds.
Linnaeus (*Flor. Suec.* art. 95.) says that the bran of this grass will cure horses troubled with botflies, if kept from drinking for some hours.
Concerning this grass we have the following information by Mr Stillingfleet. "Mr Dean, a very sensible farmer at Rufscumb, Berkshire, assured me that a field, always lying under water, of about four acres, that was occupied by his father when he was a boy, was covered with a kind of grass, that maintained five farm horses in good heart from April to the end of harvest, without giving them any other kind of food, and that it yielded more than they could eat. He, at my desire, brought me some of the grass, which proved to be the flore-fescue with a mixture of the marsh bent; whether this last contributes much towards furnishing so good pasture for horses, I cannot say. They both throw out roots at the joints of the stalks, and therefore are likely to grow to a great length. In the index of dubious plants at the end of Ray's Synopsis, there is mention made of a grass under the name of *gramen caninum supinum longiflorum*, growing not far from Salisbury, 24 feet long. This must by its length be a grass with a creeping stalk; and that there is a grass in Wiltshire growing in watery meadows, so valuable, that an acre of it lets from 10 to 12 pounds, I have been informed by several persons. These circumstances incline me think it must be the flore-fescue; but whatever grass it be, it certainly must deserve to be inquired after."
15. *Alopecurus pratensis*, Meadow Foxtail. Linnaeus says that this is a proper grass to sow on grounds that have been drained.—Mr Stillingfleet was informed, that the best hay which comes to London is from the meadows where this grass abounds. It is scarce in many parts of England, particularly Herefordshire, Berkshire, and Norfolk. It might be gathered at almost any time of the year from hay-ricks, as it does not shed its seeds without rubbing, which is the case of but few grasses. It is amongst the most grateful of all grasses to cattle. It is ripe about the latter end of June.
16. *Poa annua*, Annual Meadow Grass. "This grass (says Mr Stillingfleet) makes the finest of turfs. It grows everywhere by way sides, and on rich found commons. It is called in some parts the Suffolk grass. I have seen whole fields of it in High Suffolk without any mixture of other grasses; and as some of the best salt-butter we have in London comes from that county, it is most likely to be the best grass for the dairy. I have seen a whole park in Suffolk covered with this grass; but whether it affords good venison, I cannot tell, having never tasted of any from it. I should rather think not, and that the best pasture for sheep is also the best for deer. However, this wants trial. I remarked on Malvern-hill something particular in relation to this grass. A walk that was made there for the convenience of the water-drinkers, in less than a year was covered in many places with it, though I could not find one single plant of it besides in any part of the hill. This was no doubt owing to the frequent treading, which above all things makes this grass flourish; and therefore it is evident that rolling must be very serviceable to it. It has been objected, that this grass is not free from *bents*, by which word is meant the flowering-items. I answer, that this is most certainly true, and that there is no grass without them. But the flowers and stems do not grow so soon brown as those of other grasses; and being much shorter, they do not cover the radical leaves so much; and therefore this grass affords a more agreeable turf without mowing, than any other whatever that I know of."—The seeds of this species drop off before they are dry, and, to appearance, before they are ripe. The utmost care is therefore necessary in gathering the blades, without which, very few of the seeds will be saved. It ripens from the middle of April, to too late, it is believed, as the end of October; but mostly disappears in the middle of the summer. It grows in any soil and situation, but rather affects the shade.
17. A new grass from America (named *Agrostis cornucopia*) was some time ago much advertised and extolled, as possessing the most wonderful qualities, and the seeds of it were sold at the enormous rate of L. 68 the bushel. But we have not heard that it has at all answered expectation. On the contrary, we are informed by Dr Anderson in his new publication, that "it has upon trial been found to be good for nothing. Of the seeds sown, few of them ever germinated; but none of plants made their appearance, to ascertain, that the grass, in respect of quality, is among the poorest of the tribe; and that it is an annual plant, and altogether unprofitable to the farmer." Grass-Walks are made, for the most part, not by sowing grass seeds, but by laying turfs; and indeed the turfs from a fine common or down are much preferable to sown grass; but if walks or plats are to be made by sowing, the best way is to procure the seed from those pastures where the grass is naturally fine and clear; or else the trouble of keeping it from spiny or bent grass will be very great, and it will scarce ever look handsome.
In order to sow grass walks, the ground must be first dug; and when it has been dressed and laid even, it must be very carefully raked over, and all the clods and stones taken off, and then covered over an inch thick with good mould.
This being done, the seed is to be sown pretty thick, that it may come up close and short; it must then be raked over again, to cover the seed, that if the weather should happen to be windy, it may not be blown away. It ought also to be observed, that where grass is sown in gardens, either for lawns or walks, there should always be a good quantity of the white trefoil or Dutch clover sown with it; for this will make a fine turf much sooner than any other sown grass, and will continue a better verdure than any other of the grass-tribe.
In order to keep grass-plats or walks handsome, and in good order, you may sow in autumn fresh seed over any places that are not well filled, or where the grass is dead; but nothing improves grass so much as mowing and constant rolling.
When turf is laid in gardens, it is a general practice to cover the surface of the ground under the turf, either with sand or very poor earth; the design of this is to keep the grass fine, by preventing its growing too rank. This is proper enough for very rich ground; but it is not so for such land as is middling, or but poor; for when this is practised in such places, the grass will soon wear out and decay in patches.
When turf is taken from a common or down, such ought to be chosen as is free from weeds; and when it is designed to remain for years without renewing, a dressing should be laid upon it every other year, either of very rotten dung, ashes, or, where it can be easily procured, very rotten tan; but these dressings should be laid on early in the winter, that the rain may wash them into the ground, otherwise they will occasion the grass to burn, when the warmth of the summer begins.
When grass is so dressed, and well rolled and mowed, it may be kept very beautiful for many years; but where it is not dressed, or fed with sheep, it will rarely continue handsome more than eight or ten years.