30 NATURAL HERBAGE AS A GUIDE. 



unless they are merely small areas in the midst of better 

 land. These might in such cases be utilised in a limited 

 way for experimental work in reclamation. Ground of 

 this quality and that with a pure crop of Scirpus have 

 already been mentioned as frequently being the means of 

 reducing the value of good slopes through the acid water 

 draining on to them, and encouraging a growth of Scirpus 

 on what is to it unnatural soil. 



What appears to be the poorest class of land worthy of 

 direct treatment is that referred to previously as having a 

 varying depth of peat up to eighteen inches generally 

 less over boulder-clay, with a good slope even steep in 

 places and showing little indication of excessive moisture. 

 This ground may be recognised by the presence of a small 

 percentage of deer's-hair and sphagnum and occasionally 

 cotton-grasses along with dwarf blaeberry (Vaccinium 

 myrtillus), the hair-grass (Aira ccespitosa), bent-grass 

 (Agrostis canina), bushes of the dwarf willow (Salix 

 fusca), yellowish-green moss (Hypnum purum, L.), and 

 green moss (Polytrickum commune, L.) in tufts, and occa- 

 sionally the grass purple molinia (Molinia ccerulea), the two 

 last-named only on the best parts. . The quality of the soil 

 is variable, but generally may be fairly accurately valued 

 by the proportions of the above grasses to those of the 

 previously discussed injurious plants. A rough estimate 

 may be made by assessing the value of the ground as 

 being in direct proportion to the prevalence of the grasses, 

 and if these are less than^ three-fourths of the crop, the 

 ground had better be set aside for experimental work. If 

 there is little evidence of injurious plants among the grasses, 

 the ground may be considered safely plantable after drain- 

 ing; but if the grasses are less plentiful, and replaced by 

 blaeberry and heath, with much pale moss and more deer's- 

 hair and sphagnum, the ground is not so good, and will 

 require closer drainage. Should deer's-hair be in excess, 

 with little grass excepting Aira cwnitosa, the ground had 



