071 Permanent Meadow Land. 
515 
be due to the condition and distribution of the constituents 
rather than to any actual loss or gain of them. 
The produce of after-grass was, upon the whole, the largest 
in 1860, when it was eaten off twice — the first time early in 
September. In accordance with this, the records show that 
in the months of Julv and August the maximum tempe- 
rature was comparatively low, the minimum temperature 
moderate, the mean temperature and the range of temperature 
both low, and the fall of rain and the number of days on which 
it fell above the average. In 1862, also, the grass was fed ofiF 
twice, commencing the first time soon after the middle of 
August ; and the characters of the July and August of that 
season more nearly approached those of 1860, as above quoted, 
than did those of either of the other years. . In 1859 the after- 
growth was both the smallest in amount and the latest, the 
sheep not being put upon the land at all until November 14 ; 
and coincidentlv with this there was comparatively high tem- 
perature, and somewhat below the average amount and distri- 
bution of rain — especiallv during the first few weeks after the 
removal of the hay-crop. In 1861 the amounts of after-grass 
were more than in 1859, but less than in either 1860 or 1862, 
and the produce was eaten off only once — namely, early in 
October. The characters of the season in regard both to tem- 
perature and amount of rain were less favourable for succulent 
growth than in either 1860 or 18C2, and as to amount of rain 
less favourable than in 1859 also. In regard, however, to the 
distribution of rain, or the number of days on which it fell, the 
month of July (1861) was far above, and that of September 
about, the average. 
From these few observations it will be obvious that the varia- 
tions in the amounts of after-grass in one year compared with 
another were very directly dependent on the characters of the 
seasons ; they were, in fact, much more so than on the 
greater or less amounts of hay removed in the first crop. It 
is, indeed, remarkable how little was the fluctuation in the pro- 
•duce of first-crop hay from season to season, with one and the 
same manure, compared with that of the after-grass. The cha- 
racter of the herbage of the first crop was, however, remarkably 
affected by the character of the season of its growth ; one and 
the same amount, of produce representing a very different 
description of hay in the different years. The variation mani- 
fested itself not only in a difference in the prevalence of par- 
ticular plants, but more strikingly in the character of their 
development — the relative tendency to give a leafy or stemmy, 
base-leafed or stem-leafed, early or late, ripe or unripe produce. 
But the gross amounts of after-grass varied exceedingly from 
