330 
MESSRS. J. B. LAWES AHD J. H. GILBERT OX THE RESULTS OF 
In the unmanured hay there are nearly 50, and in that grown by mineral manures 
alone (including potass) more than 40, species represented. In that grown by the 
mineral manure and the smaller amount of ammonia-salts (plot 9) there are, however, 
scarcely 30 ; and in that by the double amount of ammonia-salts and the mixed 
mineral manure, both without and with silicates, there have been, in recent years, less 
than 20, and even as few as 16. The reduction in the number of species where mineral 
manures and ammonia-salts are used together is in the gramineous, the leguminous, 
and the miscellaneous, but chiefly in the miscellaneous species ; and, comparing the 
produce of plot 9 with the single, and of the plots 11 with the double amount of 
arnmonia-salts, the reduction, both in number, percentage, and actual weight, is again 
very prominently in the miscellaneous species. In fact, the produce on the plots 11 
has become almost exclusively gramineous, and considerably more so than on plot 9 
with the smaller quantity of ammonia-salts. 
The most prominent grass on the plots 11 with the excessive amount of ammonia- 
salts (as was the case on plot 13 with half the quantity and the straw chaff) has been, 
both actually and compared with plot 9, the very free-growing Dactylis glomercita ; but, 
of late years, it has appeared to be declining, especially on plot 11-2, with the silicates, 
where it seems to be giving place largely to Alopecurus pratensis, with which occur in 
considerable quantity, and each increasing on both plots, Agrostis vulgaris, Holcus 
lanatus, and Arena elatior. The five grasses enumerated make up a very large pro¬ 
portion of the total produce, whilst Pool pratensis has gone down much, and Poa 
trivialis lias almost disappeared. On plot 11—1, without the silicates, the Dactylis 
has also lost the first place ; but instead of Alopecurus, which is somewhat going- 
down, Agrostis is coming forward the most prominently ; IIolcus and Arena elatior 
coming next, and increasing. On the other hand, Festuca ovina, though still occurring 
in only small proportion, seems to be rather gaining ground on both plots. The 
grasses which are the most strikingly decreasing, both without and with the silicates, 
are the two Poas, especially the trivialis, and, without the silicates, perhaps the 
Alopecurus. 
On all three plots, 9, 11-1, and 11-2, there has been either no leguminous herbage 
found, or only a small fraction of 1 per cent, of it. 
The most prominent species belonging to the “miscellaneous” orders is the Rumex 
acetosa, which, however, seems to be going down on all, but the most on the plots 11. 
Next in order of prevalence are Conopoclium denudatum and Achillea millefolium, 
both of which are decreasing, and on the plots 11 have nearly disappeared. 
Thus, with the combination of mineral manures and ammonia-salts, the greater the 
quantity of the latter the more nearly does the produce become exclusively gramineous, 
and the more does it consist of a few of the most freely-growing grasses. These, too, 
take possession of the ground very much in tufts or patches, and grow coarse, strong 
seed-stems, and broad, flaggy, dark-green leaves. The herbage is, in fact, very coarse, 
often laid, and dead at the bottom before it is ripe ; indeed, it generally matures 
