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Pasture Problems: Drought Resistance

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

R. G. Stapledon
R. G. Stapledon
Affiliation:
(Agricultural Department, University College of Wales, Aberystwyth.)
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Extract

The following brief summary may be given on the aetiology of drought resistance as exemplified by the conditions obtaining in 1911.

From an agricultural point of view the value of a plant as a drought-resister is seen to be measurable by two standards: (1) Its power to give a good yield all through the period of drought; (2) its ability through living through the summer without materially adding bulk to the herbage to recuperate when the conditions become less severe. It has been shown that the phenomenon of drought-resistance is not associated with any one set of morphological characters, but that various growth forms are met with amongst the most successful plants. Further, a number of plants have shown themselves very tolerant, although having no apparent modifications to assist them, in which case there can be no doubt that their power of resistance is a simple outcome of their inherent vitality. Consequently it is perhaps dangerous to assign too great an importance to the possession of apparently useful modifications. A fair correlation is however seen to exist between a plant's manner of resistance and its growth form, as the following classification shows.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 5 , Issue 2 , March 1913 , pp. 129 - 151
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1913

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References

page 129 note 1 Stapledon, R. G., “The effect of the Drought of 1911 on Cotswold Grass land.” Roy. Agric. College, Cirencester, Scientific Bulletin, No. III. for 1911.Google Scholar

page 130 note 1 The capital letters serve as references to the Tables. Particulars as to soil-depth and calcium carbonate are shown in the Tables.

page 132 note 1 Stapledon, R. G., “Notes on the Weed Flora of some Arable land.” Roy. Agric. College, Cirencester, Scientific Bulletin, No. II. for 1910.Google Scholar

page 132 note 2 This method would seem to be generally applicable to Survey work where large areas are involved.

page 132 note 3 Armstrong, S. F., “The Botanical and Chemical Composition of the Herbage of Pastures and Meadows.” Journ. of Agric. Science, vol. II. Pt 3.Google Scholar

page 139 note 1 Abundance of annuals is a noteworthy feature on most heath grass land. See Tansley, Types of British Vegetation, pp. 94—97. Camb. Univ. Press.Google Scholar

page 140 note 1 E.g. at Chester. See also Dr. Fream, , Journal of Linnean Soc. (Bot.), vol. XXIV. 1888. The association of Yorkshire fog and creeping buttercup with pastures on deep retentive soils is a common occurrence and detracts from the merit of acres of grass land in the West of England.Google Scholar

page 144 note 1 On Field B the standing crop was estimated on May 20th as equal to 25 cwt. of hay, it did not increase at all by June 3rd when it was cut. The coarser grasses came on but the clovers had begun to decline.

page 145 note 1 Ascertained by weighing 100 plants of each, setting large against large and small against small and so forth till the full number is obtained. The ratio is given on the false assumption that cocksfoot is here fully productive, so that the rye grass figure should be less in proportion to the depressed productiveness of cocksfoot.

page 145 note 2 Nor has it established itself much on tumble-down pastures. It may perhaps not be endemic on the Cotswolds.

page 145 note 3 I am indebted to Mr S. F. Armstrong for identification of typical specimens collected in 1910.

page 148 note 1 See footnote under Rye Grass.