152 Botanical Society of Edinburgh. 



Thalictrum alpinum, Draba incana, Carex capillaris, Hieruciuni aU 

 pinum, Lastrea Filix-mas var. erosa, and L. dilatata var. montatia. 

 At the upper part of Gleu Turrit, Dr. Balfour remarked the occur- 

 rence of numerous mounds resemblmg moraines. 



2. Mr. Charles Lavvson, jun., " On the growth of the Tussac Grass 

 {Dactylis ccesj>itosa) in Orkney." ^Ir. Lawson remarks : — 



Mr. Traill of Woodwick, in Orkney, has been the most successful 

 cultivator, and from a letter written by him, I give the following 

 particulars regarding his method of culture : — Previous to June, some 

 pasture ground is selected and trenched. Dmiug the first week of 

 that month turnip seed is sown in drills 4 feet apart. So soon after 

 as wet weather sets m, Tussac grass plants are dibbled in between the 

 rows of turnips, at a distance of 3 feet apart. After the turnips are 

 removed for use, manure is wheeled in and potatoes set on the same 

 ground. By adopting this method of culture, the Tussac is cultivated 

 with no expense beyond the outlay for the plants and the labour of 

 chbbling. The work requisite for the two intervening crops is found 

 to be qmte sufficient to keep the Tussac plants clear, after which they 

 need no further care, and speedily close up the rows. Where prac- 

 ticable, however, it would be much better to commence ^^ith a field 

 previously manured for turnips, by which a savmg of the ground in 

 wheehng manure during winter would be effected. 



Mr. Traill thus sums up the advantages of the Tussac : — 1 . The 

 enormous produce of a highly nutritive food for cattle. 2, Having 

 this food every day in the year equally plentiful. 3. The conver- 

 sion of a poor unproductive field into the most ])roductive of the 

 whole farai in two years, without outlay beyond the plants themselves. 



4. The ease with which it can be cut and carried off in snowy weather, 

 and the certamty ^A^th which a farmer can count his supply of fodder. 



5. When cut down for use, it recovers its bulk in two months in 

 winter, and in about five weeks in the summer. 



During the four years over which Mr. Traill's experiments extend, 

 the plants have been steadily increasing in height, and at the present 

 time the oldest ones have attained 7 feet. When not cut, Mr. Traill 

 notices that the leaves continually augment in number, length and 

 breadth, whilst about a fourth of the older leaves gradually turn 

 yellow and dry up, become brittle, and fall to the ground. It is 

 somewhat remarkable, that this decay does not take place at particular 

 seasons, but is progressively developed throughout the year. January 

 is the time of flowermg, but the flower spikes are fully formed in 

 December, generally during the first week. 



While the necessity of procuring strong and healthy plants will 

 naturally suggest itself to all, the cultivator must bear in mind, that 

 it is necessary to the vitahty of the plant that it be kept free of weeds 

 for at least two years. This, Mr. Traill very satisfactorily proved 

 last year by selecting twelve fine healthy plants, and sowing ryegrass 

 around them. As the ryegrass got up, one half of the Tussac was 

 completely killed, and of the remainder scarcely a single plant can 

 be discerned. 



