ON THE MINED HERBAGE OF PERMANENT MEADOW. 
1411 
they might be but slowly available, would be little if at all subject to loss by drainage, 
and would probably remain within a comparatively limited depth from the surface. 
We have now to consider whether an annual additional supply of nitrogen in the 
form of ammonia-salts increased luxuriance, and rendered the comparatively dormant 
residue of the mineral constituents of the dung more rapidly available, a necessary 
result of which would be increased intensity of competition. We have also to 
consider, what has been the effect of the addition on the relative predominance, and 
the actual yield, of the various species in the mixed herbage, as shown by the botanical 
separations. To this end we turn to the results in the folding Table LXXXII., facing 
p. 1407, relating to plot 1, with the ammonia-salts, and to the comparison of them with 
those of plot 2, without them. 
It has been already shown, that one effect of the ammonia-salts was greatly to 
reduce the number of species, especially of miscellaneous plants. In the first separa¬ 
tion-year (1862), the seventh of the application of the dung to plot 2, and the seventh 
of the application of dung and ammonia-salts together to plot 1, the main distinctions 
between the two plots were as follows :— 
With the ammonia-salts there was a much larger percentage and actual amount of 
gramineous herbage, very much less leguminous, and also very much less miscellaneous 
herbage. Referring to individual species, Poa trivialis and Bromus mollis , which were 
in very great prominence on plot 2, were in greater prominence still with the ammonia. 
Dactylis glomerata was also in very much larger percentage and amount with than 
without the ammonia-salts. The only other grasses in any fair amount with the 
ammonia-salts were Avena Jlavescens and Holcus lanatus ; whereas, without the 
ammonia, besides these two, Alopecurus pratensis, Avena pubescens, A. elatior, and 
Agrostis vulgaris, were also in fair quantity. In other words, with the ammonia-salts, 
a few individual grasses attained greater prominence, and the rest were more meagrely 
represented than without them. We have, in fact, with the ammonia, the constantly 
observed result of increased vegetative luxuriance. 
Leguminous species were, under the influence of the dung and ammonia-salts 
together, almost banished ; Lathyrus pratensis, however, retaining the first place. 
Of miscellaneous species, there were in 1862 only four on plot 1 with the ammonia- 
salts which contributed as much as 1 per cent., whilst there were five on plot 2 without 
them. The percentage of Miscellanese was, indeed, less than half, and the actual 
amount per acre little more than half, as much with as without the ammonia-salts. 
Rumex Acetosa was, on plot 1 as on. plot 2, the most prominent, but in only about half 
the proportion and amount with the ammonia-salts. The other miscellaneous plants 
of moderate prominence on plot 1 were the same as were so on plot 2, viz.: Ranunculus 
repens and bulbosus, Conopodium denudatum, Achillea Millefolium, and Plantago 
lanceolata ; but each was in considerably less proportion and amount than on plot 2. 
The general result on this point is, then, that with the increased luxuriance of a few 
grasses, there is diminished predominance of other grasses, and of Miscellaneous plants, 
and a still greater diminution of Leguminosm. 
