Elements of practical agriculture; comprehending the cultivation of plants, the husbandry of the domestic animals, and the economy of the farm / By David Low.

  • Low, David, 1786-1859.
Date:
1847
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Elements of practical agriculture; comprehending the cultivation of plants, the husbandry of the domestic animals, and the economy of the farm / By David Low. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    which are fibrous in the moister soils, become bulbous in the drier, and then the plant is a troublesome weed, difficult to be extirpated. 8. Poa aquatica, Reed Meadow-grass. This species grows in situations favourable to it to a great height. It is common in flat and fenny countries, on the banks of rivers and the mar¬ gins of pools. In the fens of Cambridge and Lincoln great tracts are covered with this grass, which not only affords rich herbage in summer, but abundant crops of hay for winter forage. It con¬ tains a larger proportion of sugar than the best herbage-grasses, and is accordingly much relished by pasturing animals. It is, however, too purely aquatic in its habits to allow of any exten¬ sion of its culture. It is well suited to the swamps and fens where it grows naturally, but can scarcely be cultivated beyond them. 9. Poa fluitans, Floating Meadow-grass. This plant is found in ditches, stagnant waters, and other moist situations, its stem growing from 1 to 3 feet high. Its seeds are the manna of the shops, and are gathered abundantly in Poland, Russia, and some parts of Germany, where they are used as food. It is found in New Holland, a country abounding in vast marshes. It has been thought by some that it might be cultivated in this country. It is to be believed, however, that it is too aquatic in its habits to admit of cultivation, except in cases where it could be partially covered with water. 10. Poa annua, Annual Meadow-grass. This species has an annual root. It continues to flower throughout the spring, sum¬ mer, and autumn, and sometimes even in winter. It rarely at¬ tains, even in the most fertile situations, a height of 10 or 12 inches. It is, however, the most prolific of all the grasses. The only case in which we can suppose this species deserving of cul¬ tivation, is when other grasses had died out, and when, by being sown on the sward of these grasses in spring or autumn, the an¬ nual meadow-grass might be expected to afford a growth of herb¬ age in a few months. 11. Poa trivialis, Rough-stalked Meadow-grass, is one of the