5 76 Indications of Fertility or Barrenness of Soils. 
great variety of grasses present: it is not necessary that there 
should be a combination of all the known kinds. I have selected 
about twenty of what appear to be the best, and in all fertile mea- 
dows they will all^ or nearly all, be present in greater or less pro- 
portion ; and also some grasses of an inferior kind, the presence 
of which, in small proportions, will be of great use to fill up 
vacuities that vnW arise amongst the stems of the superior kinds, 
especially such as come to perfection at different periods of the 
season. It may be proper to ascertain what proportion of the 
surface is occupied by the superior kinds ; and if it is found that 
three-fourths, or more, are so appropriated, such fact will be a 
very strong indication of fertility. 
There appear to be about 150 distinct species of natural grasses, 
which are natives of this country, none of which, if cultivated 
alone, is so productive as when associated with others. The num- 
ber of these grasses, and other plants, found growing on a square 
foot of our best meadow-land is about 1100; and in water-mea- 
dows they are increased to about 1800. 
It has also been observed, that the number of plants found 
growing on a square foot of arable land, laid down in the usual 
way with seeds, is about 80. 
From this we very easily deduce that land in seeds, especially 
that which is to continue down for two years, is not so productive 
as old sward of the same quality of soil ; and, that old sward-land 
is not so productive as water-meadow, possessing the same natural 
fertility. These are facts so self-evident that no one, I appre- 
hend, will attempt to contradict them. Thus the number of 
natural-grass plants, found on any defined space, may be very 
fairly taken as an indication of fertility or barrenness. It is a very 
poor unproductive piece of old sward which does not produce as 
much fodder as is grown on a piece of second year's seeds. 
Names of Plants, Herbs, Flowers, &c., and of Natural Grasses, which are indi- 
cations of fertility, where they have elected to grow spontaneously, and where the 
grasses are observed to have usurped the greater portion of the surface. 
KoTANiCAL Names. 
Knolish and Local Names. 
Botanical Names. 
English and Local Names. 
Aiithemis cotula . 
Atriplex patitla . 
Curduus mananus 
ClmToplij Hum sylvcs- 
tre. 
ChenopixHuH bonus 
Hinirica. 
Clematis viUilba. 
Stinking May-weed. 
F.at hen. 
Milky thistle. 
Cow parsley, cudweed, or 
wild cheveril. 
Good King Henry. Mercury. 
Virgin's bower, or traveller's 
joy. Honesty. Ihaveuol 
noliceil this plant in the 
northern counties. 
Galium aparinc. 
Lcoutodon taraxacum 
Polyyouum lapathefo- 
lium. 
.Sonehus arvensis 
Sonchus oleraceus , 
Sonehus palustris 
Stellaria media. 
Urtica dioica . . 
Goose-grass. Cleavers. Ha- 
rnir. 
Dandelion. 
Pale-flowered persicaria. 
Corn sow-thistle. 
Common sow-thistle. 
Til 11 marsh sow-thistle. 
Chickweed. 
Common nettle. 
Fern, it will be observed, is omitted in this list.* 
Several others might be enumerated, but I have not succeeded in idenlifjing Ihcm so as to get 
their proper Ijotanical names. 
• Tlie fern is n certain iiiilicution of a deep, silicious soil, that may be much improved by cul- 
tivation and management, but is not an indlc.ttion of naturally fertile soil. In commons, waste.;, 
and moor-land tracts, which are covered by heath and furze, it serves to point out the portioDsthsI 
arc superior to the rest, and which are worthy of a man's first efl'ort to reclaim such land. 
