Tlie History of a Field newly laid down to Permanent Ch-ass. 23 
grass) was third in prominence, Festuca ovina (sheep's-fescue) 
plentiful, and IIolcus lanatiis (woolly soft grass), Agrostis vulgaris 
(common bent grass), and Bromus mollis (soft brome-grass), were 
freely distributed. Leguminous species were found to be very 
abundant ; TrifoUum repens (white clover) and Lotus cornicidatus 
(bird's-foot trefoil) being exceedingly prominent, especially the 
latter. TrifoUum pratense (red clover) was less abundant, and 
hvLtlittleof Lathy r as pratens is (meadow vetchling) was observed. 
Miscellaneous species were in fair amount ; Rnmex acetosa (sorrel 
dock), Taraxacum officinale (dandelion), Plantago lanceolata 
(ribwort plantain), and Ranunculus repens and hulbosus (butter- 
cups), were the most characteristic. In all, 13 grasses, 4 legu- 
minosEe, and 29 miscellaneous species, making a total of 46, were 
observed. 
In 1876, that is, eight years later, Dactylis was not among 
the five most prominent grasses nor did it reach that degree of 
prominence in any one of the last ten years. Lolium perenne, 
again, which was rather prominent in the early years, and was 
third in prominence in 1868, was not among the first five in 
1876, was, however, second in 1878, was not placed in 1879, 
was only fifth in 1880, was not placed in 1881, was third in 
1882, fifth in 1883, not placed in 1885 or 1886, was only fifth 
in 1887, and was not placed in 1888. Both cock's-foot and 
ryegrass have, therefore, much diminished in prominence under 
constant mowing ; whilst among the better gi'asses, Alopecurus 
pjratensis, Avena faveseens, and the two Poas, attain and maintain 
a prominent place, but the less favourably reputed Holcus lanatus 
and Festuca ovina are more prominent still. Of leguminous 
plants, TrifoUum minus, T. pratense, and 2\ repens, are the most 
prominent, whilst Lotus and Lathyrus are comparatively scarce. 
In fact, notwithstanding the mowing, the frequent application 
of dung, and the feeding of the after-grass, generally with a 
small quantity of purchased food, have tended to maintain a fair 
proportion of leguminous herbage ; whilst, the more there was 
used of artificial nitrogenous manure, and the more luxuriant 
and stemmy the grasses were accordingly, the less was the pro- 
portion of leguminous herbage ; and it was this fact that led to 
a reduction in the amount of nitrate of soda applied in later 
years. Upon the whole, weedy herbage is not prominent ; but 
of such, Ranuncidus, Rumex, and Achillea are the most so. 
It appears, therefore, that neither Dactylis nor Lolium 
maintains any prominence when the herbage is annually mown. 
This result is entirely accordant with that obtained in the 
Rothamsted permanent grass experiments. In the early years 
Dactylis was the most prominent grass on the highly manured 
