416 
Tlie Herhage of Old Grass Lands, 
it should be the object of the cultivator to improve the iuferiof 
grass lands. To create a good meadow or pasture is a legitimate 
triumph of agricultural skill, and the more nearly such new 
grass land can be made to resemble the best old grass lands of 
the country the more complete the triumph becomes. That the 
herbage growing upon a meadow or a pasture is one of the most 
essential factors of its feeding capacity is a proposition that 
needs no support, and the chief object of this paper is to inquire 
into what may be termed the botanical composition of some of 
our best meadows and grazing lands. 
The subject had attracted attention in this country more th-.n 
a century ago. In Kent's " Hints to Gentlemen of Landed 
Property" (2nd Edition, 1776) we read — 
" Meadow and pasture land is oftener neglected than ploughed ground, 
notwithstanding it generally admits of a much greater proportion of im- 
provement. The best grasses cannot be collected at too great an expense ; 
for I have seen a small spot of land, in the middle of a large piece which 
was laid down twelve or fourteen years since by Mr. Stillingfleet, upon 
the estate of Mr. Price, of Foxley, in Herefordshire, with some choice 
seeds, at the same time when the remainder of the field was laid down 
with common seeds ; and this spot is considerably better than the rest. It 
not only appeared so to my judgment, but was allowed to be so by 
Mr. Price's bailiff, who was well acquainted with its produce." 
At the end of the last, and beginning of the present century, 
William Curtis — referred to by George Sinclair in his " Hortus 
Gramineus Woburnensis "as " the late excellent Mr. Curtis " 
— was probably the leading authority on the subject in this 
countr}'. In 1790 he published a work entitled " Practical 
Observations on the British Grasses, especially such as are best 
adapted to the laying down or improving of meadows and pas- 
tures : likewise an enumeration of the British Grasses." In 
1812 the fifth edition, "with additions by John Lawrence, 
author of the ' New Farmers' Calendar,' " was issued, so that in 
all probability the work enjoyed considerable popularity. In 
order to determine the specific nature of the natural herbage 
growing in certain situations Curtis procured from each of the 
under-mentioned commons in Hampshire and Sussex a turf, about 
six inches in diameter, and planted it in his garden. A turf from 
Selbome Common yielded, of grasses, Agrostis vulgaris, Avena 
flavescens, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca duriuscula, Poa annua, 
and Cynosurus cristatus ; of leguminous plants, Trifolium 
repens ; and of miscellaneous weeds, IMantago lanceolata, Crepis 
tectorum, Achillea ^Millefolium, Cialium verum, Hypochasris 
radicata, Ilieracium Pilosella, and Thymus Serpyllum. A turf 
from Oakhanger produced, of grasses, Holcus lanatus, Poa annua, 
Agrostis vulgaris ; and of clovers, Trifolium repens. A turf 
