246 
Splenic ApojAexy. 
lieve, be profitable instead of noxious land." — Lord Poi'tiuan in the 
^ Bath and West of England Agricultural Journal.'' 
I would remark tliat tliis is an opinion clearly boine out by the 
botanj' of the "tart lauds" near Ilchester. Arable cultivation, 
however, would be very imperfect if not preceded by draining, and 
these would then be strong yielding lands with the usual manuring 
in the different rotations. So thoroughly convinced am I that, if 
found desirable to retain them as pasture, they may be made to 
yield good herbage of a wholesome kind as the i-esult of cultivation. 
The more meadows of this kind are cultivated, the less frequent 
will become the poorer grasses, which yield pasturage and hay with 
what the farmers call "no proof" in it, while the better kinds at 
the same time will gain a complete ascendancy. 
The meadows next to be described are those in which have 
occurred cases of " splenic apoplexy." 
I first notice Ko. 30 on Mr. Bradley's farm at Sock. This 
meadow is on a gentle slope, the lower half of which is a poor 
swamp, the upper portion sounder and with better herbage ; the 
prevailing plants in the lower part are separated from those of the 
upper portion. It will be seen that the mass of the herbage in 
the flat is composed of the marsh thistle, sedges, and rushes, whilst 
the upper portion consists of grasses and clovers. 
Plants in No. 30, Sock. 
Botanical Name. 
Carduus arvensis 
,, palustris .. 
Carices 
Junci 
Kanunculus acris 
bulbosus 
Hordeum pratense . . 
Cynosurus cristatus 
Aira ca;spitosa 
Arrhenatherum avenaceum 
Lolium pereniie 
Festuca duviuscnla .. 
,, pvatensis .. 
Poa trivialis 
, , pratensis 
Dactylis glonierata .. 
Holcus lanatus 
Avena flavescens 
Trifolium pratense .. 
, , medium . . 
CEnanthe pinipinelloidcs 
Good herbage 
Trivial Name. 
Creeping thistle 
Marsh plume thistle .. 
Sedges 
Rushes 
Upright buttercup 
Bulbous ,, 
Meadow wild barley .. 
Crested dogstail 
Tussac grass 
Oat-like grass 
Perennial rye-grass .. 
Hard fescue 
Meadow fescue 
Rough-stalked meadow grass 
Smooth , , , , 
Cocksfoot 
Woolly soft grass 
Yellow oat-like grass 
Red clover 
Dutch clover 
Water dropwort* 
* The repetition of this and other plants of old salt marshes in this district is 
very iuteresting. 
