ON THE MIXED HERBAGE OE PERMANENT MEADOW. 
1409 
fairly prominent. Veronica Chamcedrys, Centaurea nigra, and Cerastium triviale, 
occurred in only insignificant amounts. In the second and subsequent separation- 
years, notwithstanding that the second (1867) was very favourable to the growth of 
miscellaneous herbage over the plots generally, the Miscellaneee collectively, and the 
Rumex especially, were in very much smaller proportion, and amount, than in the first 
separation-year. Of the other species, those which gained ground, or maintained 
a fair relative position, after the discontinuance of the dung, were Plantago lanceo- 
lata. Ranunculus repens and bulbosus , and Achillea Millefolium. Ranunculus acris, 
Centaurea nigra, Veronica Chamcedrys, and Cerastium triviale , though in smaller 
amounts, also showed tendency to increase. Conopodium denudatum, on the other 
hand, gradually diminished. The tendency of change under the influence of the 
decreasing available residue of the dung was, in fact, to decrease the unusual promin¬ 
ence of Rumex, and to bring a larger number of species into position in the struggle. 
Comparing the actual yield of the different groups and species of plants on plot 2 
with their amounts without manure, it is seen that in the first separation-year there 
was a very considerable excess of total Graminese, a deficiency of total Leguminosse, 
and a large excess of total Miscellanem, under the influence of the dung. Among the 
grasses, Poa trivialis and Bromus mollis were in very large excess. Avena flavescens, 
Dactylis glomerata, and Arena elatior, were in moderate, and Poa prcitensis in small 
excess. On the other hand, those which were in marked deficiency, compared with 
the produce without manure, were Festuca .; ovina, Agrostis vulgaris, Avena pubescens, 
Lolium perenne, and Anthoxanthum odoratum. It is thus seen that the grasses which 
yielded an excess on. the manured plot were, for the most part, of freer growth and of 
better repute, whilst those which were in deficiency are characteristic of conditions 
of limited competition. After the discontinuance of the dung Poa trivialis and 
Bromus mollis, which were previously in such large excess, declined to quite insig¬ 
nificant amounts in the fourth year. Avena flavescens, A. elatior, Dactylis glomerata, 
and Poa pratensis, also declined; whilst Agrostis vulgaris and Festuca ovina increased 
largely, both in actual amount and in relation to their yield without manure; and 
Avena pubescens, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Holcus lanatus, Alopecurus pratensis, and 
Lolium perenne, did so in a less degree. 
Of total Leguminosae, there was an actual deficiency on the dunged plot compared 
with the amount without manure; but the deficiency diminished from year to year 
after the cessation until, in the fourth separation-year, there was even a rather greater 
actual amount on the plot which had been for the shorter period without manure. In 
the first year, that is, during the application of the dung, the deficiency was chiefly in 
Trifoltum pratense, and, in a less degree, in Lotus corniculatus. Subsequently, Tri¬ 
folium pratense gained in relative position, Lotus corniculatus lost, Trifolium repens 
changed but little, but Lathyrus pratensis considerably increased. Thus it was the 
comparatively surface-rooting Lathyrus that chiefly gained under the influence of the 
abundant, but only slowly available residue of manurial constituents; and, under 
