The seeds are often barren; and the only mode is to plant the shoots or strings in drills at nine inches apart, laying them lengthways along the drills, the ends of one touching the other.

6.  Aira aquatica.  Water hair-grass.—­This is an aquatic, and very much relished by cattle, but cannot be propagated for fodder.  Water-fowl are very fond of the young sweet shoots, as also of the seeds; it may therefore be introduced into decoys and other places with good effect.  Pulling up the plants and throwing them into the water with a weight tied to them, is the best mode of introducing it.

7.  Arundo arenaria.  Sea-side Reed-grass.—­This is also of no value as fodder, but it possesses the property of forming by its thick and wiry roots considerable hillocks on the shores where it naturally grows:  hence its value on all new embankments.  If it be planted in a sandy place, during its growth in the summer the loose soil will be collected in the herbage, and the grass continues to grow and form roots in it; and thus is the hillock increased.  Local acts of parliament have been passed, and now exist, for preventing its destruction on the sea-coast in some parts of Great Britain, on this account.

8.  Arundo Phragmites.  Common Reed.—­Is useful for thatching, and making slight fences; it grows best in ponds near streams of water; it does not often seed, but it could easily be introduced to such places by planting its roots in spring:  it is a large-growing plant; and where herbage may be wanted either for beauty or shelter for water-fowl, nothing can be more suitable, and the reeds are of great value.

9.  Avena flavescens.  Yellow oat-grass.—­Is much eaten by cattle, and forms a good bottom.  It has the property of throwing up flowerstalks all the summer; hence its produce is considerable, and it appears to be well adapted to pasture.  The seeds of this grass are not to be obtained separately; hence it is not in cultivation.  It is however worthy of attention, as the seeds are produced very abundantly in its native places of growth.  It will grow either in wet or dry soils.

10.  Avena pubescens.  Rough oat-grass.—­This appears to have some merits, but the foliage is extremely bitter.  It grows in dry soils.

11.  Avena elatior.  Tall oat-grass.—­From the good appearance of this 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.