420 
The Herbage of Old Grass Lands. 
1. Agrostis alba. 
2. Agrostis vulgaris. 
?}. Aira caespitosa 
4. Alopecunis geniculatiis. 
6. Alopecurus pratensis. 
6. Anthoxanthum odoratum. 
7. Arena elatior. 
8. Avert a Jlavescem. 
9. Bri^a media. 
10. Bromns mollis. 
11. Bromus racemosus. 
12. Cynosurus <yristatus. 
13. Festuca duriuscula. 
14. Festuca elatior. 
15. Festuca loliacea. 
16. Festuca pratensis. 
17. Glyceria aquatica. 
18. Glyceria fluitans. 
19. Holcus lanatus. 
20. Lolium perenne. 
21. Phalaris arundinacea. 
22. Phleum pratense. 
2-3. Phragmites communis. 
24. Poa annua. 
25. Poa pratensis. 
26. Poa trivialis. 
Of these, Holcus lanatus is first in point of quantity, the 
second place in this respect belonging to either Bromus mollis or 
Lolium perenne. It is a noteworthy circumstance that Dactylis 
glomerata does not occur upon these water meadows. Institut- 
ing a comparison between the grasses of the water meadows and 
the species which have been detected upon the very old non- 
irrigated grass land in Rothamsted Park (" Phil. Trans.," 
Part IV., 1882), it appears that thirteen species are found in 
both situations, and these are printed in italics in the foregoing 
list. Furthermore, Aira caespitosa and Phleum pratense occur 
sometimes upon some of the experimental grass plots in Rotham- 
sted Park, whilst two other species, Festuca elatior and Festuca 
loliacea, though they have occasionally been found at Rotham- 
sted, are extremely rare there. Three very common species at 
Rothamsted, Avena pubescens, Dactylis glomerata, and Festuca 
ovina, do not occur upon the water meadows. 
The herbage found growing upon these water meadows 
comprises twenty-six gramineous species, seven leguminous 
species, and fifty-three miscellaneous species. The leguminous 
plants are : — 
1. Lathy rus pratensis. 
2. Lotus comiculatus. 
3. Lotus major. 
5. Trifolium pratense. 
6. Trifolium repene. 
7. Vicia Cracca. 
4. Medicago lupulina. 
Of these, all excepting Medicago have been found in Rothamsted 
Park, under one or other of twenty different conditions of 
manuring. 
Numerous attempts have been made, with varying degrees 
of success, to lay land down to permanent pasture. Any one 
would probably feel well satisfied with his endeavours should he 
at length arrive at a result comparable with the rich old pastures 
of England and Ireland. A desirable means to this end would 
obviously be some exact knowledge as to the nature of the 
herbage growing upon these old grass lands. In the case of 
