-i 



284 



The hay of water-meadows is generally supposed to T^e less nutritious than th 1 • T • 

 permanent pasture land. • I compared the quantity of nutritive matter afFo d 1 1 i 

 grasses, produced imder irrigation, and those produced in rich permanent na' 

 difference Avas much less than I had expected. An instance may suffice. 



pasture land. Th 



Eye-grass (Lolium peremie), at the time of flowering, taken from a water meadow that hid 

 been fed off with sheep till the end of April, afforded of nutritive matter - - . 



The same weight of this grass, taken from a rich old pasture that had been shut up for hav 

 about the same time, afforded of nutritive matter - - - - • ._ 



The same grass from the meadow that had not been depastured in the spring, afforded 



That from the rich pasture that had not been depastured, afforded - ^ ^ 



72 grai 



ms. 



95 



110 

 120 



A water-meadow may be said to be a hot-bed for grass. The rapidity with which 

 tion advances by the process of irrigation, justifies the comparison. The small deficien f 

 nxvtritive matter in water-meadow hay, is what might be expected from such a cause* 

 find it exemplified by daily experience, in the instances of esculent vegetables that are forced 

 beyond their natural habits. The same effects are produced by the application of an excess of 



as we 



manure. 



On a spot, in a field of artificial pasture, where a large portion of cow-dung had been accu- 

 milated, the grass was extremely rank, and of a very deep green colour, distin^-uishable from 

 the rest of the Rye-grass pasture at a considerable distance. 



Fou 



L 



r ounces weight of this luxuriant tuft was submitted to experiment, and it^ 



afforded of nutritive matter 



The same quantity of grass from a moderately rich soil, that surrounded this 

 luxuriant patch, afforded of nutritive matter - - 



In another trial, the same species of grass, produced on a soil entirely destitute of 

 manure, afforded of nutritive matter 



On the same soil excessively manured, the grass afforded only 

 Common Quaking-grass, on a soil moderately enriched, afforded fourteen ounces^ 

 of grass, the given weight of which contained of nutritive matter 



■ ^ ■ 



On a poor siliceous sandy soil incumbent on clay, it afforded sixteen ounces of 



grass, the given weight of which afforded 

 From a soil consisting almost of pure clay, the produce of grass was twelve ounces, 



r ^ 



the usual weight of which afforded of nutritive matter 



72 grains. 



122 



95 



50 



90 



80 



69 



1 



rass (Holcus avenaceus), from a clayey loam moderately ma 

 nured, was twenty-three ounces of grass, the given weight of grass contained 



From a soil almost pure clay, the produce of grass was thirteen ounces, four of 

 which afforded of nutritive matter - - _ . 



From a siliceous sandy soil, with a small portion of manure, the produce was ten 

 ounces of grass, the given quantity afforded - - - 



r 



From a Iicalh soil, tlie produce of grass was eight ounces, four of which afforded 



84 



89 



80 



of nutritive matter 



83 



the chemical process at the same stage of growth. 



(two year old plants) 



a 



