3^3 



the heavy feeding plants of our sewage disposal fields, Dactylis (jlomerata 

 and Poa trivialis, during the five years over which the experiments extended 

 (the results are given in the table), became more and more abundantly 

 established on the parcels of land strongly fertilized with nitrogen, and 

 crowded out the others. The grass of village streets, Bronius mollis, ap- 

 peared in high percentages only when stable manure had been used, while 

 Loliuni perenne and Holcus lanatus were present everywhere, to be sure, 

 yet spread but little where stable manure was abundantly used. 



>. 'ji "^ r c Stable- Manure 



Species of Gras.ses ^^ "5'S- 'S-r .5 2^ u^~ 5 S;^ 



> ■- -2 ^ Z zr' •Sol' < <•- 



Festuca duriuscula I3-04 21.42 12.00 2.98 0.79 0.22 0.19 



A(irostis vulgaris 8.62 21.29 2.76 11.55 9-15 ^-3^ ^-'■/^ 



Folium perenne 8.62 3.39 3.03 11.89 ^•^-' 2.59 2.73 



Holcus lanatus 4.97 9.68 4.86 11.06 8.82 2.17 2.01 



Dactylis glomerata 1.76 2.2y 2.79 5.04 23.58 4.85 16.86 



Poa trivialis 1. 50 1.61 5.77 12.00 15.47 27.43 29.34 



Bromus mollis 0.08 0.15 0.63 2.21 0.93 9.64 12.53 



Anihoxanthum odoratum. 3.29 2.41 0.80 0.49 o.io 0.19 0.06 



Among other interesting observations of these authors is the one that 

 the parcels of meadow land, which had remained unfertilized, exhibited 

 great diversity in the families and species growing on them. The grass was 

 short, stemless, and, at the time for cutting, comparatively very green. With 

 mineral fertilizers, the Leguminoseae gained the upper hand, while, in the 

 Gramineae, which, however, showed no especial prevailing genus, the tend- 

 ency to the development of blossoms was mere decided than on unfertilized 

 land. Conversely, ammonium salts, given alone without other fertilizers, 

 almost excluded the Leguminoseae, and the Gramineae, therefore, predomi- 

 nated. Festuca and Agrostis reached their highest percentage, and Rumex, 

 Carum and Achillea throve luxuriantly. 



If Chile saltpetre alone were used, the efifect in general was the same as 

 with ammonium salts ; nevertheless, among the grasses, Alopecurus pratensis 

 was especially prevalent ; and a predominating tendency to leaf production 

 also became noticeable in contrast to the development of the flower stems. 

 Besides the somewhat better developing Leguminoseae, there was a lux- 

 uriant development of the little useful Plantago, Centurea, Ranunculus and 

 Taraxacum. 



The highest yield and the best development of the grasses was found 

 with stable manure to which some fertilizer containing nitrogen had been 



1 By mineral fertilizers, the authors mean a mixture of super-phosphate with 

 potassium, sodium and magnesium sulfates. 



