428 
The Herbage of Old Grass Lands. 
Gramineous herbage , 49' 
Leguminous herbage . . . . . . . 2 ■ lOO 
Miscellaneous herbag© , . . . • . .49 
The grasses were made up in the following proportions : — 
Lolium perenne ........ 66 
Agrostis sp. . , . . . . . ■ . 27 
Holcus lanatiis ........ 6 
Dactylis glomerata ~1 1 100 
Cynosurus cristatus I -j 
Anthoxantbum odoratum [ ..... 
Poa sp. J 
The leguminous herbage was chiefly Trifolium pratense, the 
remainder being Trifolium repens. Rumex Acetosa made up 
75 per cent, of the weeds, the remainder consisting of Leontodon, 
Ranunculus, Plantago, and one specimen of Cerastium. 
No. 9. — A turf sent by Mr. Gilbert Murray, of Elvaston, 
Derby. The specimen had the appearance of a very compact 
friable loam, chocolate-coloured. Mr. Murray writes that the 
specimen was cut from a grass field in the parish of Elvaston, 
county of Derby ; that the soil is a deep sandy loam of alluvial 
origin, resting on a gravelly subsoil, the drainage being perfect 
except during high floods, when the land is submerged. The 
exact locality is four miles south of Derby, the elevation about 
200 feet above the sea-level, and the average rainfall 28 inches. 
Concerning its previous history Mr. Murray writes : — 
" Permanent pastul-e for at least sixty years. I have no means of ascer- 
taining how it was laid down. The land has occasionally been mown, but 
more generally it has been grazed with fattening cattle and dairy cows. 
In dripping seasons it produces a large quantity of grass. It will fatten 
cows and heifers, but is not sufficiently strong to graze steers or oxen. Itp 
is very suitable for dairy cows, which yield large quantities of milk of good 
quality. Sheep thrive well in the summer, but do not winter well on the 
land, particularly lambs or hogs. Shearing wethers do much better, and 
escape the hoose so fatal to the lambs." 
The herbage of this plot, which was cut on July 19, yielded: — 
Gramineous herbage . . . . . . .18] 
Leguminous herbage ..... a trace ^100 
JMiscellaneous herbage . . . . . .821 
The grasses were a very mixed lot, comprising: — 
Dactylis glomerata . . . . . . . 3.3v 
Avena flavescens ....... 20 
Festuca ovina 18 
Agrostis sp 12 V 100 
Cynosurus cristatus 7 
Anthoxantbum odoratum . . . . . . 7 j 
Ilolcus lanatus 3/ 
The very trifling amount of leguminous herbage present was 
composed of Lotus corniculatus and '^rrifolium repens. Of the 
