on Permanent Meadow Land. 
^259 
tlie conditions mentioned above. It was found to tlie amount of 
less than 2 per cent, (in flowering and seeding stem) in the 
sample grown by ammoniacal salts alone, in loss than per 
cent, in that by the same amount of ammoniacal salts with 
mineral manures in addition, but to the extent of 20 per cent, when 
the double or excessive amount of ammoniacal salts, together with 
the mineral manures, were employed. Wliere this very large 
proportion of Rough Cock's-foot was found in the produce of 
1858, it was set down by Professor Henfrey in 1857, as " very 
fine," " abundant," and " ripe," and in the other cases as " back- 
ward." Consistently with tuis order of development of this plant 
according to manuring, we find a very small proportion of that 
leafy produce (the coarse) which was estimated to contain Cock's- 
foot, where the amount in flowering and seeding stem was so 
larffe, but more where the amount in flowering and seeding stem 
was only small. There was the most of it where the ammoniacal 
salts were used alone ; and it was in the sample of " coarse " 
leafy produce grown by that manure, that Professor Henfrey 
concluded there was the most of the Cock's-foot. 
It appears that characteristically nitrogenous manures are 
favourable to the predominance of the Rough Cock's-foot. Where 
the supply of nitrogen is only moderate, it would appear to be 
outgrown and overpowered by the Rye-grass and Woolly soft- 
grass. It, in its turn, appears to overpower, particularly the Rye- 
grass, when the nitrogenous manure is very abundant. And, 
under the same conditions, it seems to reduce, and almost to ex- 
clude, several of the grasses of less value, and of less free growth. 
Thus, when the Cock's-foot was so abundant, there was less of 
the Oat-like grass found than on any of the other plots, no Sweet- 
scented Vernal-grass, very little creeping Bent-grass, no Quaking- 
grass, and scarcely any crested Dog's-tail. The reputed charac- 
ters of the Rough Cock's-foot given above, are consistent with this 
luxuriant growth under high manuring, and with this apparent 
tendency to push out other plants by its own active vegetation. 
The Cock's-foot also affords an example of a useful grass much 
developed by those manures which yield a great bulk of total 
produce. 
9. — Poa pratensis — Smooth-stalked Meadow Grass. 
The Poa pratensis is said to be rather particular in its choice 
of situation, not to relish damp soils, but to thrive well in good 
and rather dry ones. It grows tuftily, and is said to have the 
tendency to banish other grasses. Its character is to yield a 
good early feed, and a free-growing and hardy after-grass. It 
flowers in May and June. 
This grass was found only in the samples of the produce 
s 2 
