EFFECTS OF IRRIGATION. 



385 



*'This field trebled in value in four years. The table shows us 

 that all the better grasses have increased, if we except the Poa 

 trivialis and Hoi'deum jjratense, in which cases there has been an 

 increase in grasses not possessing the best character. In the 

 first of these there is a decline in the fourth year. 



"^Now if we take into consideration the same set of facts, as 

 presented by herbs of other families, the alteration is still more 

 striking as attested by the following table : 



NAMES. 



PROPORTIONS. 



I Irrigation. 



Ranunculus acris. Meadow crowfoot. 



Ranunculus bulbosus, Bulbous crowfoot 



Plantago lanceolata, Narrow leaved ijlantain... 



Plantago Tuedia, Broad leaved plantain 



Trifolium repens, Dutch clover 



TrifoUum pratense. Red clover 



AnthriscuH vulgaris. Beaked parsley 



After two 



years' 

 Irrigation. 



After four 



years' 

 Irrigation. 



•' Now this table points out the important fact that large and 

 innutritions herbs in pastures are destroyed by irrigation, and 

 the previous one makes it clear that their places are supplied by 

 the grasses. 



"Parsley and docks should be pulled as the latter is largely in- 

 creased by irrigation." 



In other words, we conclude that the best grasses are a sign of 

 good land or good treatment by manuring or draining or irriga- 

 tion. They are the most sensitive to good or bad treatment; 

 they are hearty feeders, and are the most exhaustive to the soil. 

 Sedges, rushes, mosses, ox-eye daisies, and most other weeds, 

 point to land that is out of order. 



