92 PLANT LIFE ON THE FARM. 
twenty are grasses, ten leguminous, and the remainder, 
occurring usually in smaller proportions and belonging 
to many natural orders, are conveniently grouped as 
“*miscellaneous.” The numbers and relative proportions 
of these, as noted in the growing herbage or recognized 
in the samples taken from it, differ very much in dif- 
ferent seasons, and more especially according to the 
nature of the manure employed. 
The plants vary among themselves, the grasses having 
certain characters in common, the leguminous plants dif- 
fering from the grasses, and both more or less from the 
miscellaneous plants, the members of which latter group 
differ very considerably among themselves. The varia- 
tions alluded to depends of course on the varying organi- 
zation, hereditary endowments, internal structure, habit, 
constitution, and mode of life of the several plants. Some 
of these points are much more influenced by external 
conditions of soil and climate than others. 
The Grasses. *—Of the eighteen grasses which commonly 
occur on the plots all are perennial except Bromus mollis. 
* In the text the Latin names of the plants mentioned are employed 
as more precise and uniform in their application, not varying in differ- 
ent localities, angl being in universal use in botanical works ; but as 
these names may not be familiar to some readers, the most commonly 
adopted English names are here supplied. It shonld be remembered 
that only the more important of the pasture plants are here alluded to. 
[The common names most in use in the United States are added 
in brackets. ] 
GRASSES. 
Anthoxanthum odoratum = Sweet vernal grass. 
Alopecurus pratensis Meadow fox tail grass, 
Phleum pratense Meadow cat’s-tail. [Timothy.] 
Agrostis vulgaris Fiorin grass. [Red-top.] 
Aira cespitosa Tussack or hair grass, 
Holcus lanatus Woolly soft grass. 
Avena pubescens Downy oat-grass. 
“  elatior False oat-grass, 
Tillids 
