THE NATURAL HISTORY OF BRITISH GRASSES. 11 
neighbourhood of Cirencester, a part of which is now under 
irrigation. 
The meadow observed upon is one on the banks of the 
Churn, and from its slope only half of it could be covered 
with water. It has a subsoil of oolitic gravel, so that al- 
though vale land, its produce was that of a thin upland 
pasture. How much it has changed will be seen from the 
annexed Table, which is designed to supply information on 
the following points :— 
1. The names of the grasses observed. 
2. The proportions of these observed in the meadow 
before irrigation.* 
3. The changes effected in two years. 
4. Those on the fourth year. 
Taprn IT. 
Representing the Changes of Grasses under Irrigation. 
Proportionals. 
Botanical Names. Trivial Names. ee ’ After j After 
. . rs’ re? 
Timigetion, Dit gation, ieteation, 
Alopecurus pratensis | Meadow foxtail-grass 1 2 4 
Poa pratensis... ..| Field meadow-grass. . 2 3 4 
» trivialis ..  ..} Roughish meadow-grs 1 2 1 
Briza media .. Quaking-grass .. 2 oF ne 
Cynosurus cristatus | Dogstail-grass .. .. 2 1 és 
Aira ceespitosa ..| Hassock-grass ..  .. 1 ie as 
Agrostis stolonifera | Marsh bent grass 1 2 3 
Dactylis glomerata..| Cocksfoot-grass. . 1 2 3 
Avena flavescens ..| Yellow oat-grass 2 3 3 
35 pubescens ..| Soft oat-grass .. 1 1 1 
Hordeum pratense ..} Meadow barley- grass 1 2 2 
Lolium perenne’ ..| Perennial rye-grass . 2 4 6 
This field has trebled in value in four years. 
This Table shows us that all the better grasses have 
increased, if we except the Poa trivialis and Hordeum pra- 
tense, in which cases there has been an increase in grasses 
* The whole meadow is now improved, as it has been much depas- 
tured: and cattle have ranged the unirrigated as well as the irrigated 
portion: thus irrigating half a meadow tends to improve the whole. 
