ON THE MIXED HERBAGE OF PERMANENT MEADOW. 
1289 
Cyperaceje. 
The Sedges are well nigh as widely distributed as the Grasses ; but they are more 
especially plants of wet places. The contrast between the plants of the two Orders 
is very interesting, but the experimental plots afford but little, opportunity for 
illustrating it, inasmuch as there is only one of the Order met with on them, viz.:— 
Carex prcecox , which is a slow-growing, tufted, early-flowering Sedge, with creeping 
root-stock, giving off fibrous roots. It is very generally diffused in meadows, even on 
those which are relatively dry. It was found in 12 samples in 1862, in 13 in 1867, 
in 16 in 1872, and in 10 in 1877. It was most frequent on the unmanured plots and 
on those with purely mineral manures. It was all but absent from the ammonia plots ; 
but it was more general on the nitrate plots. It yielded by far the largest quantity to 
the herbage on the unmanured plots. In only two cases, however, did it contribute 
more than 1 per cent, to the produce. 
Filices. 
OpMoglossum vulgatum, the Adder’s Tongue Fern, is the only representative of this 
order which has been met with on the plots. It is a low-growing species, with a small, 
perennial, creeping root-stock, throwing up a single ovate leaf, which is apt to escape 
observation amid the more luxuriant herbage, and even if it be not withered before the 
grass is cut, is of such lowly stature as not often to come into the samples. It was 
found in four samples in 1862, in none in 1867 or 1872, and in one only in 1877. Its 
presence was, however, noted on four plots in 1867, on four in 1872, and on three in 
1877. Its amount in every instance was so small as to require no further comment. 
Musci. 
Three species of Hypnum — II. squarrosum , II. rutabulum , and II. Mans —occur on 
the plots. One or other of these was found in 10 samples in 1862, in eight in 1867, in 
15 in 1872, and in 20 in 1877. They were by far the most frequent on the unmanured 
plots, and on those receiving mineral manure alone. They were scarcely represented 
at all on the ammonia plots, but were more general on the nitrate plots. In only two 
cases did the amount reach or exceed 0*1 per cent,, and these were on the plots without 
manure and with superphosphate of lime alone. In all others the quantity was 
extremely insignificant. The evidence is, that their presence in the mixed herbage is 
more directly dependent upon the amount of water at command, and on the absence 
of luxuriance of their associates, than on manurial conditions specially favourable to 
themselves. 
