Famous Ancient Pastures of England. 
755 
further benefit would be got in cutting the flowering Holcas, as 
this would prevent the ripening of its seeds, and the natural 
multiplication of the plants. Unfortunately, all rejected grasses 
secure in this way a great advantage in the struggle for existence 
over valuable grasses, for these latter, being prevented from 
seeding, depend for their increase on any provision they may 
have in their roots or runners. 
It is no doubt important in laying down pasture to learn 
from neighbouring meadows what are the most suitable grasses 
to sow ; what flourish best and what are most consumed by the 
stock. Superficial observers are often misled by the plants 
which, having been rejected by the stock, have run to seed and 
so make the greatest show in the autumn. The practical man 
does not need to have it pointed out that the grasses and other 
plants in a pasture which run to seed are the plants to be re- 
jected by him, as they have been rejected by the stock. 
The month of August and the beginning of September were 
occupied in visiting the different localities. The different pastures 
are arranged in the following series of tables, which exhibit at 
once to the eye the various grasses of which they are composed. 
No notice is taken of individual plants ; only when the grasses 
were in quantity sufficient to influence the quality of the pasture, 
have they been introduced into the tables. The grasses are 
separated in the tables by stronger lines into three sections : — 
(1) The best grasses met with : — Cocksfoot (Dactylis glome- 
rata, L.), Meadow Fescue (Festuca pratensis, Huds.), Fox- 
tail (Alopecurus pratensis, L.), Timothy (Phleum pra- 
tense, L.), Rough-stalked Meadow-grass (Poa trivialis, 
L.) and Yellow Oat-grass (Avena flavescens, L.). 
(2) Grasses of second quality : — Rye-grass (Lolium perenne, 
L.), Fiorin (Agrostis alba, L.), Hard Fescue (Festuca 
duriuscula, L.), Dogstail (Cynosurus cristatus, L.), Tall 
Oat-grass (Avena elatior, L ) and Sweet Vernal (Antho- 
xanthum odoratum, L.). 
(3) Inferior grasses : — Squirrel-tail (Hordeum pratense, 
Huds.), Hassock-grass (Aira ca?spitosa, L.), Brome- 
grass (Bromus mollis, L.), and Yorkshire Fog (Holcus 
lanatus, L.). 
(4) A fourth section is devoted to Clovers, Yarrow, and Rib- 
grass. 
The relative abundance of each grass is represented by the 
following signs : — P = predominant, A = abundant, C = common. 
The order of the tables indicates a progressive improvement 
in the quality of the herbage, and the order of the particular 
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