-" 
Manure. 
; 
Irrigation. 
4 
Growth. 
Development. 
80 
According to Way and Ogston. 1,000 Ibs. of hay (excluding water) contain: — 
Phosphoric acid 7.6 Ibs. silica «  : 34.2 Ibs. 
Potash . 245° Sulpuuric acid 4 4 “avi ge, 
Magnesia yA ee Potassium chloride 5.7 Ibs. 
Lime 0.73. ,, 
According to Way 1000 Ibs. of hay contain 13.4 lbs. of Nitrogen, according to Ritthausen and 
Scheven 14.4 |bs. | 
This grass is thus seen to be rich in Potash and Phosphoric acid; accordingly it re- 
moves from the soil a large amount of these substances. As the roots are not deep, the 
superficial layer is readily impoverished. 'To secure a good crop the superficial layers require 
to be rich in nutriment. 
Growth is much favoured by an application of compost in autumn. The superficial 
layer is thereby rendered soft and nutritive, root-growth is favoured, and the whole plant 
becomes quite luxuriant. Horse-litter roughly spread in autumn is indirectly favourable ; 
where the litter is thickly spread, a number of other grasses perish, and rough-stalked meadow- 
orass takes their place. On the other hand, when the soil is copiously supplied with liquid 
manure especially during summer, growth is arrested; it begins again in autumn and spring 
when moisture returns. The Rothamsted experiments show that Nitrate of Soda com- 
bined with mineral manures favours, while ammonia compounds retard the growth of this 
OTass. 
Irrigation is very suitable. 
winter, the culms reach a height of 7 or 8 ft. (of course only in the first cutting). 
summer the water must have a good outflow. 
Growth, Yield, Nutritive value. At first, during the year of sowing, rough-stalked mea- 
dow-grass produces a tuft of ascending branches and culms which strike root only at the 
base. Later in the year, branches are produced, which spread out horizontally along the 
ground, giving off roots as they go. These produce branches on their own account, and 
in this way, even during the first year, the ground becomes completely occupied. Next 
year, culms are produced in such abundance that light cannot find an entrance, Under 
these conditions the basal parts become etiolated, and have a tendency to rot away. Under 
favourable circumstances the grass is so compact that the scythe can scarcely cut through 
it. After the first cutting, tufts of very short leaves, and creeping branches which strike 
root are produced, but no erect culms of leafy branches to make a good aftermath. When 
sown on bare spots in fields, or on bare fallow, the produce, first of all, consists of erect 
branches and culms; later, creeping branches extend from the periphery of the tuft in all 
directions, and strike their roots into the ground. The creeping branches from adjoining 
tufts interlace with one another, and thus the ground comes to be completely occupied by 
grass. In the following spring a new crop of erect branches is produced. Soils of good 
quality may in this way be rapidly covered by grass. When a bare fallow is left to itself, it 
is often taken possession of and soon overrun by rough-stalked meadow-grass, the seeds of 
which occur in the ground. During the first year, the ground may remain partially bare, 
but, in the second, it will certainly be covered if the conditions are at all favourable. 
As mentioned above, the yield is small during the first year, but, in the second, the 
plant is at its best. In the spring, it shoots somewhat early, although the culms are pro- 
duced somewhat later than those of smooth-stalked meadow-grass, apparently because it 
On the Orchiston meadows, inundated during part of the 
During 
