834 
ANNUAL REPORT FOR 1890 OF THE 
CONSULTING BOTANIST, 
During the year 380 applications have been received from 
members of the Society. These refer principally to seeds for laying 
down pasture. The samples continue to present the same high 
standard of purity and germination. Rye-grass, not many years 
ago, was almost universally used as an adulterant of the larger 
fescues ; this year it was the only grass submitted to me that had 
been deliberately adulterated, the sample consisting of only 34 per 
cent, of rye-grass, and 66 per cent, of brome-grass. The clover seeds 
are not yet free from dodder ; 12 per cent, of the alsike seeds and 9 
per cent, of those of perennial red clover contained seeds of this in- 
jurious parasite. The yarrow, with a single exception, possessed a 
high degree of purity and germination. 
It is to be regretted that so little is known by many practical 
men of the properties of the different plants which compose a pasture. 
One correspondent forwarded some specimens of rough-stalked 
meadow grass (Poa trivialis, Linn.), which was very common in his 
district, and reputed to be disliked by stock. Another sent some 
plants of a "rough coarse grass" which abounded in his meadows, 
and which the stock would not eat. He was anxious to get rid of 
it, but when he heard that it was cocksfoot he was glad that he 
had it in his pasture. A farmer informed me that this coarse grass 
was a kind of twitch, and a most objectionable element in his pas- 
ture. A member sent me specimens of yarrow with the complaint 
that it did not appear to be eaten by cattle, informing me that in a 
neighbour's field, where horses only were kept, it became a great 
pest, but when sheep and cattle were put in it disappeared entirely. 
This kind of observation, which is too common, is hopelessly mis- 
leading. The horses did not like the yarrow, and so left it, and it 
became " a pest" ; while the sheep and cattle liked it, and ate ib down 
so that it "disappeared" — not that there was a single plant less 
than when the horses were in the field, but that they were eaten so 
close to the ground that they could not be detected without^ careful 
observation. 
From the frequent mistakes made, and from the want of know- 
ledge in regard to the useful and useless plants in pastures, I am 
sure that some effort, by accurate diagrams or otherwise, to meet 
this defect would be of great service to agriculture. 
Many samples of weeds have been submitted for identification, 
and advice as to getting rid of them. Chickwced grew to such an 
extent in a rotation crop of clover and rye-grass on a sandy loam as 
to overpower the fodder-plants, and reduce the quantity of food. to 
a half. Chickweed is an annual plant, producing a large quantity 
of small seeds, which are well protected against the weather by a 
firm covering, and are ready to germinate when the temperature 
