204 yfaiHirliKi for ffatf 



The preponderance of "inferior grasses *' on the uninanured plots 

 (1 and 13) and on the plots dressed with sulphate of aiiiinonia (8, 10, 

 12) is brought out very clearly in this sumnuiry. 



As indicated in the table a comparison is possible in the case of 

 five plots of the conijjosition of the herljage in two different years, 

 viz., 1909 (or 1911 for Plots 8 and 13) and 1911. 



The unmanured plots (1 and 13) show a marked increase in the 

 inferior grasses, which the detailed results (not given here) show to be 

 due to a great development of bent {Agroniis vulgaris). 



The annually dunged plot (Plot 2) shows no great alteration in the 

 proportions of the different groups, but there have been changes within 

 the groups. Thus in 1914 the proportion of cocksfoot (Dadi/lis glumerata) 

 was much lower, and of golden oat grass {Arena flavescens) much 

 liigher than in 1909. Of the inferior grasses Yorkshire fog (Holcus 

 lanatus) had increased considerably. 



On the plot receiving annual dressings of nitrate, superphosphate, 

 and kainit (Plot 7) the general distribution was nnich the same in the 

 two crops but cocksfoot was lowered and rye-grass increased. Hent 

 was ajjpreciably more abundant as were the umbelliferous weeds. 



On the two plots receiving sulphate of ammonia (Plots 8 and 12) the 

 composition of the two years' crops was greatly different, the later 

 crop containing a much smaller proportion of the better grasses, notably 

 cocksfoot, golden oat grass and the fescues, whilst the inferior grasses, 

 notably bent and Yorkshire fog, were correspondingly increased. In 

 agreement with the indications of Table III, sorrel (Rumex acelosa) 

 was considerably reduced on these plots. 



A further point of interest brought out in the earlier work of Cameron 

 is the variation in the proportion of dead grass leaves that persist about 

 the bases of the plants. Estimations made by him of the proportion 

 of dead grasses to total herbage on each plot resulted as follows: 



Attention may be specially directed to the high proportions on 

 the unmanured plots and especially on the "ammonia plots" (8, 10, 

 12). The point is one of considerable interest to which we shall return 

 later. 



