1252 
MESSRS. J. B. LAWES, J. H. GILBERT, AND M. T. MASTERS, 
Air a cwspitosci. —The Tufted-hair grass is a large, coarse-growing grass, forming thick 
tufts or hummocks, which throw up tall stems bearing coarse foliage, and light panicles 
of flowers. It is a common plant in moist shady woods, and is abundant on Harpenden 
Common, though very sparingly represented on the plots. Its presence was noted on 
five plots in 1862, on three in 1867, on 17 in 1872, and on nine in 1877. It occurred 
in slightly greater proportionate amount on the ammonia and the nitrate plots, but 
in every case its produce was quite insignificant. 
Brim media. —The Quaking grass is tufted, slightly creeping, and usually grows in 
dry open situations. It occurred in the samples taken from nine plots in 1862, in 
nine in 1867, in 17 in 1872, and in 12 in 1877. It was in largest proportion on the 
unmanured plots, on which it has on the whole increased, and in one instance it 
contributed more than 7 per cent, of the produce. 
Of all the manured plots the one with superphosphate of lime alone was the most 
favourable to it, but even there it furnished little more than 2 per cent, of the produce. 
It was generally absent from the samples taken from the ammonia plots, or, if repre¬ 
sented at all, it was in quite insignificant amount. It was, however, much more 
general, though still in very small quantity, where nitrate of soda was used. It would 
thus seem that ammonia-salts are either directly prejudicial to this grass, or that they 
are so indirectly, by favouring the more luxuriantly growing species. 
Cynosurus cristatus. —The crested Dog's-tail is a tufted grass, the finely branched 
roots of which are reputed to penetrate deeply. It was found in the samples from, or 
observed during growth on, 14 plots in 1862, 14 in 1867, 16 in 1872, and 14 in 1877. 
It was absent, or in very small proportion, on the ammonia plots, but was generally 
present on the nitrate plots, and on those without mineral manure, or with mineral 
manure alone. 
In one case where nitrate of soda was used it reached 2 - 54 per cent., and in three 
others it yielded more than 1 per cent. It also exceeded 1 per cent, on one occasion 
without manure, and in three with mineral manure alone; but in the large majority of 
the samples it was in very much smaller proportion. 
It is obvious that neither of these four last-mentioned grasses was able to maintain 
even a moderate degree of prominence where the conditions were favourable for the 
luxuriance of other gramineous species. 
The Legtjminosje. 
Next in importance to the grasses in the mixed herbage of meadow-land are the 
leguminous plants. The species which occur on the plots all belong to the Papilo- 
naceous sub-division of the Order, the only one indeed represented in temperate 
climates. They are all low-growing or trailing perennials, varying considerably in 
“ habit ” one from another. 
