ON THE MIXED HERBAGE OF PERMANENT MEADOW. 
1335 
taken up of most of the other mineral constituents, soda and silica excepted, also 
declined. The percentage in the dry substance was, however, much the same in the 
produce of the two plots ; whilst that of the potass was much less where it was not 
supplied, though still higher than without manure. 
There is thus direct evidence of the influence of the potass of the manure on the 
yield, on the botany, and on the chemical composition, of the produce. But there is 
evidence of various kinds that there was a residue of the potass applied in the first six 
years, which had, at first, a considerable, and which has still, some effect on the results 
obtained on plot 8. Table LXX., pp. 1336-7, shows in detail the botanical composition 
of the herbage ; and as the special point under consideration is the result as compared 
with that on plot 7, where the application of potass has been continued, there is given, 
not only the percentage botanical composition of the mixed herbage, the lbs. per acre 
of each species, and the increase or reduction compared with the unmanured plot 3, 
but also the increase or reduction in the yield of each, in each separation-year, as 
compared with plot 7. 
It happens that 1862, the first year of complete botanical separation, was also the 
first year of the exclusion of the potass from the manure of plot 8, so that it is not to 
be expected that the results of that year will show so markedly the characteristic 
effects of the change as those of the subsequent periods. 
Referring first to the number of species, there was in each year a less number than 
without manure ; on the average of the four separation-years, six less. Compared with 
plot 7 there was a falling off in number in the first separation-year, that is in the first 
year of the exclusion of the potass, but a gradual increase subsequently ; presumably 
due to a less active competition, with the less free growth, in the absence of the potass. 
There were, however, generally fewer species found in the samples than in those from 
plot 4-1, with superphosphate of lime alone, where there was still less of growth, and 
consequently still less of active competition. 
An examination of the lines of total Graminese, total Leguminosse, and total Mis¬ 
cellanea, will show that, in the second separation-year, that is after the effects of the 
change had become thoroughly established, there was a diminution, both in the per¬ 
centage and in the yield per acre, of the grasses, a very great diminution, both in 
percentage and yield, of the leguminous herbage, and a greater increase in those of the 
miscellaneous herbage. But it will be remembered that the second separation-year 
was one pre-eminently favourable to a relative excess of the miscellaneous species; 
still, in the third and fourth separation-years, there was also a higher percentage 
proportion, and amount, of such herbage than in the first. There was at the same time 
a continued diminution in both the percentage and actual amount of the leguminous 
herbage ; in fact, only about one-sixth as much was grown in the fourth as in the first 
separation-year. The total yield of the Graminese also diminished very much from the 
first to the third, but increased again considerably in the fourth separation-year. The 
fluctuations according to season were, indeed, very considerable. Still, especially as 
8 S 2 
