ON THE MIXED HERBAGE OF PERMANENT MEADOW. 
1231 
Thus in no single instance did this grass attain the first place. It was second in 
only one of the seasons (1867), and then only on the unmanured plots. It was third 
in the same year, and also in the subsequent separation years on the plots that were 
either unmanured or defectively manured; where, consequently, there was relatively 
little growth of the herbage generally, and little activity of struggle. 
It yielded more than 5 per cent, on a larger number of plots, but did so in no case 
where the vegetation of its associates was generally luxuriant and healthy. It reached 
7 to 8 per cent, in a few cases; but only once, and then only on a single plot, has it 
attained to nearly 14 per cent. This grass, therefore, only becomes prominent under 
conditions which do not iuduce special luxuriance in its competitors; and, on the 
Rothamsted soil, it seems to be more injured by association with more luxuriant 
grasses than by the direct action of manures. 
In the Chiswick experiments, where Anthoxanthum was grown separately, it did 
not thrive so well as when grown in association, whether from want of shelter or from 
more rapid drying up is uncertain. Be this as it may, in one year the highest 
degree of vigour was observed where mineral manures and nitrate of soda were 
applied; in the second year where mineral manures and ammonia-salts were used. 
This result seems to confirm what has already been stated as to the effect of associa¬ 
tion on this plant; for when grown separately it would seem to thrive under con¬ 
ditions of manuring whicli when in association favour its competitors, and thereby 
limit its own luxuriance. 
The observation made by Geisebach in his ‘Vegetation der Erde’ (1872), p. 150, is 
opposed to our ordinary experience with this grass. He states that he once saw 
Anthoxanthum odoratum dispossess almost all the other grasses in some thoroughly 
irrigated meadows. Irrigation doubtless tends to the simplification of the herbage, 
but it is opposed to general experience that a grass usually preferring dry situations, 
and one so unable to compete with others of more luxuriant habit, should thrive so 
remarkably under precisely opposite conditions. 
Alopecurus pratcn&is. 
This grass has a long, deeply-penetrating, more or less vertical subterranean root- 
stock, from which proceed creeping offsets or stolons, capable of giving off fibrils. In 
addition to the main vertical root fibres, there is usually, close beneath the surface, a 
dense leash of horizontal fibrils, which is however much less marked in the unmanured 
plots. On some of the plots a formation of small tubers on the fibrils has been noticed. 
The culms attain a height of 1 to 3 feet. The leaves are rather broad. It has not a 
tufted habit of growth, but grows in detached patches by the extension of its creep¬ 
ing, subterranean off-shoots. It is protogynous, flowers early, and often a second time. 
It withstands the severest frosts, and grows rapidly after mowing or grazing. 
In this country it generally grows upon rather rich soils, and is injuriously affected 
by extremes of moisture or of drought. 
7 s 2 
