470 Tlie Natural History of British Grasses. 
as presented by herbs of other families, the alteration is still 
more striking, as attested by the following table : — 
Table III. — Representing the Cliangcs of Herbs found with the Grasses. 
Proportionals. 
Botanical Names. 
Trivial Names. 
Before 
After 
After 
Irrigation. 
2 years' 
Irrigation. 
4 years' 
Irrigation. 
Eanunculus acris 
Upright meadow crowfoot 
1 
3 
1 
, , bulbosus 
Bulbous crowfoot . . 
.3 
1 
Plantago lanceolata . . 
Narrow-leaved plantain 
3 
1 
1 
, , media . . 
Broad-leaved plantain . . 
3 
Trifolium repens 
2 
, , pi atense . . 
1 
2 
2 
Anthriscus vulgaris . . 
Common beaked parsley 
1 
2 
1 
Now this table points out the important fact that large and 
innutritions herbs in pasture are destroyed by irrigation, and the 
previous one makes it clear that their places are supplied by the 
grasses. Ho'vvever, the beaked parsley sometimes increases at 
first, and tliough it soon gets less, it is not entirely eradicated 
■without pulling ; this should be done, as it takes up much room, 
and is of little use itself. Docks, too, such as Rumex crispus 
(curled dock), and Rumex prateiisis (meadow dock), often greatly 
increase by irrigation ; these, however, are soon destroyed, and 
if not allowed to seed give but little trouble. 
5. Afjrarian Grasses are more properly those which occur in 
land under tillage ; they are not a large list, nevertheless they 
will be found worthy careful study, as all of them are weeds and 
many of them great pests. Some, as the couch grasses, are 
troublesome, for their creeping underground stems as well as 
growth of herbage ; the Avild oat occupies the ground with a 
larger plant tlian the cereal with which it usually groAvs, whilst 
others are sure indicators of a low state of fertility, and often of 
bad farming. The following is a list of the Agrarian Grasses : — 
Avena fatua — Wild oat. 
„ striffosa — Bristle-pointed oat. 
Alopecurus ar/restis — Slender foxtail-grass. 
liromus mGllis — Soft brome-grass. 
,, secalinus — Smooth rye brome-grass. 
„ sterilis — Barren broine-grass. 
Lolium temulentum — Bearded darnel. 
Poa trivialis — Roughish meadow-grass. 
„ annua — Annual meadow-grass. 
„ comprcssa — Flat-stemmed creeping meadow-grass. ; 
Triticum repens — Coucli-grass. 
A(jrostis stolouij'era — Creeping bent-grass. 
