78 
THE PRINCIPLES OF BOTANY. 
These facts are attempted to be epitomised in the following 
table,, the results of which must, of course, be looked upon as 
liable to great variations, according to circumstances, as it is 
not unusual to find on the same soil, with the same geological 
subsoil, an occasional oasis in a desert of poor pasture; but 
as this is due to exceptional cultivation, it can hardly be 
appealed to as upsetting the more general fact. We might, 
however, conclude from such cases that the intelligent culti- 
vator has it frequently in his power in future to “make two 
blades of grass grow where one grew before.” 
Table of Relative Value of Pasture. 
Number of 
prevailing 
species. 
Pro- 
portional 
quantity. 
Hay, 
per acre. 
Kent charge, 
per acre. 
1. Upland pasture (moorlands) 
15 
16 
_ 
10/- 
2. Poor clays 
11 
16 
10 
15/- 
3. Rich loams 
13 
19 
15 
25/- 
4. Plooded meadow 
13 
23 
25 
Cwt. Cwt. 
30/- 
5. Irrigated meadow 
13 
25 
30/- 40/- 
40/- 100/- 
Nothing can more clearly show the variation of the species 
of grasses according to the condition of the soil than an 
examination of half a dozen of the commoner species as they 
affect different soils. Taking, then, the five kinds of soil as 
indicated in the above table, we now endeavour to allocate 
the six following species in their distribution and proportionals 
amongst them, these figures having reference to the relative 
mass of the kinds tabulated. 
Table of Proportionals of Species of Grass. 
Botanical name. 
Trivial name. 
Uplands. 
Poor 
clays. 
Loams. 
Flooded 
meadow. 
| 
Irrigated 
meadow. 
1. Alopecurus pratensis 
Meadow foxtail grass 
1 
2 
2 
3 ’ 
2. Plileum pratense 
Timothy grass 
— 
2 
2 
1 
2 
3. Poa pratensis . 
Meadow grass 
1 
1 
2 
1 
3 
4. Avena flavescens 
Yellow oat grass 
— 
— 
1 
1 
2 
5. Loliurn perenne 
Perennial rye grass . 
1 
1 
3 
2 
2 
6. Briza media . 
Quaking grass 
1 
2 
— 
— 
— 
Now, if we look to the last grass of this table, the Briza 
media , we find it only in two positions out of the five, and 
