Tlie Herbage of Old Grass Lands. 
443 
It is not explained how the estimates given in the foi'e- 
going notes on the Normandy pastures were arrived at, but it is 
obvious that, throughout, a very creditable position is assigned 
to Lolium perenne, whilst Ti-ifolium repens appears to be even 
more abundant than the results obtained from my experimental 
turfs would indicate to be the case in English grass lands. 
But another piece of evidence, from a very high authority, 
is forthcoming. In the second edition of Mr. Martin J. Sutton's 
"Permanent and Temporary Pastures" it is stated (page 51, 
footnote) that — 
" Sir John B. Lawes visited Leicestershire for the express purpose of 
examining the famous ox-pastures of that county, and subsequently had 
the herbage of the best two pastures carefully analysed. The report estab- 
lishes beyond a shadow of doubt the fact that Lolium perenne is the grass 
of which the pastures in question principally consist, and that it must have 
existed in them for more than forty years, although during that time it 
has never been allowed to seed. Further, it is clearly shown that the pas- 
tiures actually owe their high reputation to the abimdant presence of peren- 
nial ryegrass and white clover." 
An interesting confiiTuation of this is afforded by the results 
yielded in the case of the Leicestershire turf, No. 25. 
Independently, however, of the testimony just given, I am 
able, through the kindness of Sir John Lawes and Dr. Gilbert, 
to quote here some extremely valuable quantitative results show- 
ing " the composition of the herbage of very good fattening 
pasture, Mr. Fisher's meadow, Market Har borough, Leicester- 
shire." Sir John Lawes has subjected the herbage of this 
pasture to botanical analysis on eleven occasions in four dif- 
ferent years, namely, twice in 1879 (May 31, June 21), six 
times in 1880 (May 20, 31, June 25, July 6, 21, August 6), 
twice in 1882 (May 22, June 28), and once in 1888 (July 6). 
From the figures recording the mean results for each of these 
four years I have calculated the following mean percentage results 
for the entire series of eleven botanical separations : — 
Gramineous herbage , , , . , , ,76] 
Leguminous herbage . . . , , , , 21 [ 100 
Miscellaneous herbage . , , , , , ,3) 
The following are the mean percentages of grasses : — 
Lolium perenne 36^ 
Agrostis vulgaris 17 
Poa trivialis 9 
Cynosurus cristatus ; 8 
Holciis lanatus G 
Poa annua 5 VloO 
Phleum pratense . . . , , . , ,5 
Dactylis glomerata 4 
Festuca ovina 2 
Avena flavescens 1 
Other grasses 7, 
