PHOSPHATIC MANURES 129 



circumstances superphosphate would also 

 produce little effect, and the reason in both 

 cases is, not that the physical conditions of 

 the soil are unsuitable for the action of the 

 manures, but that on light, gravelly soil the 

 growth of White Clover cannot be markedly 

 stimulated. Unless this plant can be induced 

 to grow luxuriantly, at least in the earlier 

 years of the renovation of a pasture, the final 

 and permanent improvement that is our object 

 will not be secured. It is a matter of common 

 observation that White Clover grows best 

 upon land that is well-consolidated. Why 

 this should be so may not be clear, but at 

 least there is nothing strange in a plant 

 making very specific demands as to the 

 character of the habitat in which alone it 

 will grow well. Such pronounced peculi- 

 arities are well known amongst garden 

 flowers, and growers, to be successful, must 

 take great pains to provide the right conditions 

 of soil and moisture. On fields which possess 

 soil of an open texture it may be found that 

 White Clover is abundant only along the side 

 of a footpath that may cross the field, or in 

 the neighbourhood of a gate round which 

 stock have a tendency to congregate. In 

 both cases the ground has been consolidated 

 by treading, and thereby the conditions have 



