534 The Natural History of British Grasses. 



type, but were sparingly intermixed with paniculate flowers ; 

 the herbage of all was of the rich green which characterises the 

 true type. 



Plot 2. F. loliacea, var. pratensis — all came true, but with a 

 tendency to a rigidity of leaf. 



Plot 3. F. loliacea, var. elatior — scarcely distinguishable from 

 plot 2. 



In three years great changes had been wrought, as under: — • 



Plot 1. No spicate flowers in the whole plot. 

 „ 2. More rigid and larger ; in fact, none of the true type. 

 „ 3. A little larger, but otherwise not distinguishable 

 from plot 2. 



Now in the sixth year the F. elatior form prevails in all the 

 plots. Here, then, we think that it is satisfactorily proved that 

 these three forms are all referrable to a single species, as the 

 change has taken place, not by hybridisation, but in individuals ; 

 at the same time they may maintain their distinctive characters 

 under the following circumstances : — 



1. In meadows by the side of rivers, especially where sub- 

 jected to occasional floods — as the Isis at Oxford, or irrigated 

 meadows on the banks of the Churn at Cirencester. The F. 

 loliacea is constant, and is a most valuable grass for hay or 

 pasture. 



2. In rich meadow flats, as in the vale of Berkeley, the cele- 

 brated locality for the production of double Gloucester cheese, 

 the F. loliacea, var. pratensis, is a common and valuable denizen, 

 and any meadow wliere it maintains its characteristics may be 

 considered as good in quality. 



3. On the alluvial sandy clay banks by the seaside, or poor 

 silicious clays inland, the variety elatior rears its tall coarse form. 

 In the county of Gloucester the warp mud on the banks of the 

 Severn estuary is always occupied by this grass, which we 

 look upon only as the extension of the jiratensis from the rich flats 

 within the sea-wall boundary. 



The F. pratensis is a grass whicli is always recommended for 

 admixture in forming new pastures, on which account there can 

 be but little doubt that it was used in the glades laid down within 

 the last few years at the entrance of Oakly Park, the seat of the 

 Earl Bathurst. When first sown it came up true enough, though 

 with a disposition to harshness ; the last three years it has become 

 elatior in all its features, and is now in such large coarse tussacs, 

 or hassocks as they are technically called, as to make the spot 

 dissightly as a lawn and much impaired for hay or pasture. 

 The secret here appears to be that the soil consists of sandy clays 

 of the Forest marble rock, the texture of which is very similar to 

 that in the favourite habitats of this form of iriass. 



