Dec. 1891.J THE BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH. 223 



It is not to be supposed that these figures represent ac- 

 curately the relative weights of produce which the respective 

 grasses may be expected always to yield, for, as experience 

 abundantly shows, the vigour of a species of grass depends 

 in the first place on the goodness of the seed, for weak 

 parents produce weak offspring, and also on the nature 

 of the soil and climate and other circumstances. These 

 grasses were grown in a greenhouse attached to my labora- 

 tory, in light loamy soil, and the seed was the best procurable 

 that year, while the quantity sown was such as to sufficiently 

 occupy the surface area of 36 square inches. 



UjDon the whole, I am of opinion that the quantities of 

 product are fairly representative of what the respective grasses 

 may, under favourable circumstances, be expected to grow in 

 one year. 



As might be expected, the perennial rye-grass of the best 

 quality, 28 lb. per bushel, tops the list in quantity both of 

 leaf and root, but there is another specimen of root from rye- 

 grass of 22 lb. per bushel, and it is instructive to notice how 

 great is the difference between this fine sample of rye-grass 

 whose seed weighed 28 lb. per bushel, and the inferior sample 

 whose seed weighed only 22 lb. per bushel, accentuating the 

 great importance of selecting the best seed, of the false 

 economy of endeavouring to make a saving by purchasing 

 seed of inferior quality. Next comes the tall fescue, which 

 approaches it very nearly. It is a grass which is not very 

 well known to farmers, but it is evidently one which they 

 ought to value very highly. 



The golden oat-grass has produced the most unexpected 

 result, for it is usually regarded as one of the feeble grasses, 

 although known to be a good pasture grass. It is evident 

 from this experiment that it deserves a higher place in the 

 esteem of farmers than has been hitherto accorded to it, and 

 that it may well take a place among the seeds of grass that 

 is intended to lie even for one year. 



Cocksfoot, foxtail, and timothy, which are the great Ijulky 

 natural grasses of the farm, take a subordinate place in the 

 table, the last named more especially in regard to the 

 quantity of roots produced ; but it is necessary to remember 

 that these grasses do not make much growth during the 

 first year, but go on steadily improving for several years. 



TRANS. BOT. SOC. EDIX. VOL. XIX. R 



