THE BATTLE OF LIFE. 97 



been practically banished from the ammonia plots. On 

 the whole their requirements are opposite to those of the 

 grasses, the conditions favoring the latter not being any- 

 thing like so propitious to the leguminous plants. Thus 

 the effect of nitrogenous manures as observed on the ex- 

 perimental plots is to banish or reduce more or less com- 

 pletely the Leguminosae, or so to favor the growth of the 

 grasses, or certain of them, that the Leguminosae are 

 overpowered. On the other hand, mineral manures, 

 which are not by themselves very beneficial to grasses, 

 are very propitious to the growth of leguminous plants. 

 Potash is especially favorable to these plants, their pre- 

 dominance and produce is always enhanced when that 

 substance is used in due proportions as a manure, and 

 always diminished when it is omitted. In illustration, it 

 may be added, that on the plot where the manurial con- 

 ditions are most favorable to Leguminosae, the weight 

 per cent of the whole crop was as follows : Sixty-five 

 per cent grasses, twenty per cent leguminous, and fifteen 

 per cent miscellaneous. The per-centage by weight on 

 the unmanured plot was, sixty-eight grasses, nine legu- 

 minous, and twenty-three miscellaneous. Taking the 

 other extreme where a large quantity of nitrogenous 

 manure was employed, the figures are ninety-five per 

 cent grasses, and five per cent miscellaneous, the Legu- 

 minosae being all but absent (one per cent). 



Of the Leguminosae of pasture-land LatJiyrus praten- 

 sis seems to be able to hold its own under adverse condi- 

 tions much better than its fellows, the clovers or the Lo- 

 tus. Its long, straggling root, and scrambling habit 

 added to its hardihood may be the source of these advan- 

 tages. 



Miscellaneous Plants. In spite of the large number 

 and varied habits of growth of the miscellaneous species 

 found on the plots, their importance as factors in the 

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