63 



cultural Society's experiments at Pumpherston. :;: A mixture 

 of grass seeds' was sown in 1887, and careful observations 

 were made year by year as to the proportion of the different 

 plants surviving on each of the variously manured plots. 

 The following table shows the number per cent, o'f each 

 species in the seed sown ; the number of plants of each 

 species, per cent., growing in 1893, tne ^ ast y ear f tne 

 experiment, on three differently treated plots ; and the 

 weight per cent, of produce of each species on the same plots 

 on the average of the three years 1891-3. The column 

 No. i gives the results of the plots receiving no manure, 

 No. 2 those of the plot manured with phosphates and potash, 

 and Xo. 3 those of the plot to which sulphate of ammonia 

 was given in addition to phosphates and potash. 



TABLE XLIV. 



In no case did the species appear at the end of the experi- 

 ment in the same proportions as in the seed. Speaking 

 generally, cocksfoot, dogstail, and the weed grass, Yorkshire 

 fog, had largely increased, and most of the other grasses 

 and clover had diminished. But the extent of this increase 

 and decrease is very different in the different plots. Thus, 

 considering the weight of the produce, cocksfoot increased 

 much more in the manured than in the unmanured plots, 

 but dogstail was more important relatively in the latter case. 

 Ryegrass had somewhat increased in proportion on the 

 unmanured land, but had diminished on the other plots 

 chiefly on that receiving sulphate of ammonia. 



INFLUENCE ON PALATABILITY AND FEEDING VALUE. 

 More important than the changes in the botanical com- 

 position of the herbage is the palatability of the produce lor 



* " Transactions of the Highland and Agricultural Society," Vol. VI., 

 Fifth Series. 



