Tlie Herbage of Pastures. 
377 
Ho. 58. — A turf sent by Mr. Bevan Bowen, Llwyngwair, Crymmych 
Ii.S.O., from Cardiganshire. 
■ It was cut from a permanent grass-field on Beny Hill Farm, near 
Newport, Pembrokeshire, which has not been under the plough for a cen- 
tury, if ever. Hay was taken from it in 1887, and, during many years, 
it has been mown, but not oftener than in alternate years. The field is 
very near the sea, and about 90 feet above sea-level. It has had no 
top-dressing for many years, and has been grazed by cattle (not cows), 
sheep, and colts, during the last decade, and contains about 24 acres 
of land. Oxen certainly get fat on it, and it yields somewhere about 
two tons of hay per acre." 
The turf was nine inches deep, and a few root-fibres were visible on the 
lower face. The soil had the appearance of a light brown, friable loam. 
The turf produced a mixed herbage, and when mown it was seen to be 
rather mossy beneath. It gave : — 
Gramineous herbage, 76 ] Leguminous, 4 | Miscellaneous, 20. 
The leguminous herbage wa3 composed of about equal quantites of Tri- 
folium pratense and Trifolium repens. The miscellaneous herbage was chiefly 
Plantago lanceolata, with much smaller proportions of Ranunculus acris, 
Prunella vulgaris, Cerastium triviale, Rumex Acetosa, and Bellis perennis. 
The grasses separated into : — 
Agrostis sp 39 
Holcus lan at us 28 
Lolium perenne 24 
Anthoxanthum odoratum . . 1 
Cynosurus cristatus .... 1 
Undetermined 7 
No. 59. — A turf sent by Mr. W. B. Eoberts, Loveston, Pembroke, from a field 
that has been in pasture for at least 100 years, and probably much longer. 
It was dug from an average field of the farm, resting upon limestone rock, 
and it has been mown alternately for the last twenty years, and every alternate 
year grazed with dairy -stock ; in 1888 it was mown. 
The turf was eight inches deep, and a few root-fibres were noticeable on 
the lower face. The soil was a red, friable loam, rather stony. The turf 
threw up a somewhat mixed herbage, which, cut on July 20, yielded : — 
Gramineous herbage, 73 ; Leguminous, 3 | Miscellaneous, 24. 
The leguminous herbage consisted in great part of Trifolium pratense, the 
remainder being Trifolium repens, with a little Trifolium minus. Of the 
miscellaneous species, Cerastium triviale was most abundant, this being fol- 
lowed, in order, by Leontodon hispidus, Rumex Acetosa, Plantago lanceolata, 
Achillea Millefolium, Prunella vulgaris, Veronica Chamfedrys, and Potentilla 
sp. The grasses were thus made up : — 
Lolium perenne 27 I Bromus mollis 2 
Agrostis sp 22 Poa trivialis . " 2 
Dactylis glomerata .... 22 Festuca ovina et var. , 
Hclcus lanatus 19 Anthoxanthum odoratum J 
Cvnosurus cristatus .... 3 Undetermined 2 
Both Agrostis vulgaris and A. stolonifera were present. 
No. 60. — A turf sect by Mr. J. Brockie, Golden Grove, Carmarthenshire, 
from the estate of Earl Cawdor in the Yale of Towy. There is no record as 
to how long the land has been in grass, and it has not been mown for many 
years, if ever. It is not manured very often, being pastured by sheep and young 
cattle, fed with roots and corn, and a little cake at times. * The pasture will 
carry 1 ox, or 4 young sheep, per acre. 
