1198 
MESSRS. J. B. LAWES, J. H. GILBERT, AND M, T. MASTERS, 
average. The heavy crop of the first year had been characterised by great stemminess 
and maturity, and the heavy ones of the second and fourth years by luxuriant leafy 
growth. The first (1868), and the third and smallest crop (1870), were the result of 
seasons of drought and heat; in the case of the heavy crop the drought and heat 
coming late, and succeeding upon previous luxuriance, and in the case of the light 
crop commencing early, and succeeding upon previous backward conditions. 
Although the freer growth of the wetter seasons must obviously affect the relative 
predominance of the different components of the mixed herbage, seasons of heat and 
drought, like those of 1868 and 1870 (though they were so very different from one 
another), have a much greater influence in this respect. In fact, there is no doubt 
that the distribution and predominance of species in 1872 was influenced, not only by 
the continuous application of the different manures from year to year, but materially 
also by the characters and the growth of the several preceding seasons, especially by 
those of the years of drought and heat. 
We come now to the characters and the growth of the season of 1872 itself. July 
1871 was characterised by a considerable excess of rain and low temperatures ; August 
and the first half of September were warm and dry ; but the end of September was 
very wet, cold, and stormy. October, November, and December were consider¬ 
ably deficient in rain, with lower than average temperatures. Mr. Glaisher states, 
indeed, that November and the first half of December were characterised by the 
longest continuance of low temperatures in the century for that period of the year. 
After the long continued dry and very cold weather, the three months from the 
middle of December 1871 to the middle of March 1872 were almost continuously 
very unusually warm, with a considerable excess of rain in January, a deficiency in 
February, but again some excess in March. The latter half of March was exceedingly 
variable as to temperature; and this character prevailed until early in May ; periods 
of unusually high and unusually low temperatures alternating, the higher, however, 
prevailing ; whilst April was deficient in rain. Then followed about five weeks of 
mostly cold and cloudy weather with hoar frosts and frequent rain; the fall being 
in excess in both May and June, as it had been also in March. The last fortnight or 
so before the cutting of the grass was, however, warmer, and the period included some 
heavy thunderstorms. 
Thus the early winter was dry and extremely cold ; next followed nearly three 
months of prevailing high temperatures for the period, with a sufficiency of rain, so far 
favouring an early start of growth. Then came some weeks very variable as to 
temperature, with some deficiency of rain ; the remainder of the growing period was 
unseasonably cold and cloudy, but with a sufficiency of rain ; and, finally, the maturing 
period was warm, but interspersed with heavy showers. 
These very changeable characters of season are obviously those of fair luxuriance, but of 
varying tendency to stem and seed formation, and to maturation, according to the already 
established botanical and other characteristics of the herbage, and the conditions of 
