202 



VEGETATION OF THE PEAK DISTRICT 



[CH. 



PERMANENT PASTURE 



The permanent pasture, although nowadays never ploughed,, 

 is an artificial plant association or group of artificial associations. 

 Human influence is seen in three ways. First, most of the 

 permanent pasture has been ploughed at least once, and in 

 many cases has been sown with grass seeds, and the original 

 plant associations have therefore been destroyed : secondly, it is 

 more or less regularly manured by the occupying farmers : and 

 thirdly, it is always grazed over by cattle, horses, or sheep. 



The manuring and grazing effectually prevent many of the 

 aboriginal species re-migrating into the area. However, when 

 permanent pasture becomes neglected and derelict, these species 

 tend to enter the area and the introduced species tend to die 

 off. Ultimately, the derelict pastures are indistinguishable 

 from the uncultivated grassland ; and they are therefore so 

 coloured on the accompanying vegetation maps. 



Many of the cultivated grass fields are utilized solely for 

 grazing purposes. In a considerable number of cases, however, 

 the cattle are kept out of the fields after April ; and the grass 

 is allowed to grow long, when it is cut for hay. In this district 

 haymaking usually begins about the end of June and continues 

 until the middle or end of August, or into September if the 

 season is unpropitious. By way of a phenological comparison, 

 it may be stated that in eastern Somerset, haymaking begins 

 at the end of May or the beginning of June. After the hay 

 has been cut, the cattle are again turned into the fields ; hence, 

 it is scarcely possible to make any distinction on the maps 

 between "meadows" and "pastures." 



The most abundant grasses of the hay-fields are : 



Of the above grasses, Cynosurus is characteristic of the drier 

 and poorer soils, and Trisetum of the damper and richer soils. 



