grass some persons have recommended it as likely to be useful for
forming meadows; but it is excessively bitter, and is not liked by
cattle generally, though when starved they are sometimes observed to eat
of it. There is a variety of it with knobby roots which is found to be a
most troublesome and noxious weed in arable lands, particularly in some
parts of the coast of Hampshire where it abounds. This variety was some
years ago introduced into the island of St. Kitts, and it has since
taken such firm possession of the land as to render a large district
quite useless. Persons should be cautious how they speculate with weeds
from appearances only.



12. BRIZA media. QUAKING-GRASS.--Is common in meadow land, and helps to
make a thick bottom; it does not however appear to be worth the trouble
of select culture. It is bitter to the taste.



13. BROMUS mollis. SOFT BROME-GRASS.--Mr. Curtis has given a very clear
account of this grass, which he says predominates much in the meadows
near London, but that the seeds are usually ripe and the grass dried up
before the hay time: hence it is lost; and he in consequence considered
it only in the light of a weed. It has seldom occurred to me to differ
in opinion from this gentleman, who certainly has given us, as far as it
goes, a most perfect description of our useful grasses: but experience
has convinced me that the Soft Brome-Grass, which seeds and springs up
so early, makes the chief bulk of most of our meadows in March and
April; and although it is ripe and over, or nearly so, by the hay
harvest, yet the food it yields at this early season is of the greatest