The formation of organic matter in the plant is the final result of the manifold chemical reactions and transformations of energy taking place during the course of the growing period. In the study of plant production pot and field experiments afford merely a means of determining the yields of vegetable matter, that is the cumulative effect of the many physiological processes which during the different stages of growth influence the development of the plant to a greater or lesser degree. Furthermore, the results of the usual type of fertilizer experiment only demonstrate the extent to which the amount of organic matter produced by the plant is dependent on the quantity and nature of the plant foods applied and on their joint functioning; but they can tell us little or nothing about the influence of manuring on the various synthetic processes in the plant, such as the formation of carbohydrates or of proteins. Modern agriculture is not merely concerned with mass production but also aims at achieving a high standard of quality in its products. While this holds good for all branches of agriculture, it is particularly true in the case of modern grassland management and its ultimate products, viz., meat and milk.