Mixed Herbage of Grass-Land. 
161 
In tlie well-known Edinburgh sewaged meadows again, the 
herbage is for the most part of a very simple character. Of the 
grasses, the most prominent, and the most valued for its yield of 
green food, is the Poa trivialis ; next in prevalence, and perhaps 
in general estimation also, is the Triticum repens, or couch 
grass ; and after these, frequently occur Lolium perenne and 
Dactyl is glomerata. Of weedy plants, the Ranunculus seems to 
h2 the most prevalent and luxuriant, especially where the drainage 
is imperfect. It should be observed, however, that many of the 
Edinburgh meadows have been laid down specially with a view 
to sewage irrigation ; though, where old permanent meadows 
have been brought under treatment, or a considerable mixture of 
grasses has been sown in laying down for irrigation, it is still 
found, after a few years, that the great bulk of the herbage is 
composed of but a few of the freer growing grasses. 
It will be readily understood, however, that the value of the 
produce of ordinary permanent meadow land, and of a sewage- 
irrigated meadow, depends upon very different qualities, and 
that a character of growth Avhich may be a disadvantage in the 
one case, may be advantageous in the other. 
The produce of the ordinary meadow, if designed for hay, is 
allowed to approach nearly to maturity before being cut, and 
over luxuriance of growth, tending to the great predominance of 
a few very free growing grasses, is likely to be accompanied by 
an undue development of woody stem, giving a hard, coarse, and 
comparatively indigestible and innutritions food. There is, in 
fact, an obvious limit beyond which it is not advantageous to go 
in forcing the hay crop by means of artificial manures ; for, 
beyond a certain point, which the intelligent practical farmer 
will not be slow in discerning, not only is less increase of pro- 
duce obtained for a given amount of manure employed, but the 
increased quantity is gained at too great a sacrifice of quality. 
It is quite otherwise with the sewage-irrigated meadow", the 
produce of which is to be cut green. Although it may happen 
that only the very free growing (and under some circumstances 
objectionable) grasses may be encouraged, yet they are mown 
in a young and succulent condition, before their objectionable 
qualities have been developed, and the faster they grow the 
oftener they are cut. Hence, whilst their great luxuriance is 
only an advantage, their tendency to yield a hard later growth is 
not against them. 
The most prominent results of the whole inquiry may be briefly 
enumerated as follows : — 
1. So far as the general distribution of Graminaceous, Legu- 
VOL. XXIV. M 
