FLORULA OF A PIECE OF WASTE GROUND AT ABERDEEN 237 



FLORULA OF A PIECE OF WASTE GROUND 



AT ABERDEEN. 



By JAMES W. H. TRAIL, A.M., M.D., F.R.S. 



IN this journal, in October 1896 and January 1897, under 

 the above title, I gave an account of observations made by 

 me during the years 1893-96, my object being to follow out 

 the changes that can be traced from year to year in the 

 vegetation of a newly made-up soil when protected from 

 injury and left almost untouched by man. I have continued 

 these observations this year (1897) ; and the results will be 

 found stated below. 



During the past winter and summer the space covered 

 with cinders has been somewhat added to ; and the heaps of 

 earthy rubbish having been mostly removed from beside the 

 lines of rails the plants growing on them alone (e.g. Saponaria 

 Vaccaria) have disappeared. Now (in September) a new 

 railway is being laid down at each side of the two already 

 existing on the ground. Thus the vegetation that was 

 growing up beside the rails, much more plentifully than any- 

 where else on the cinders, has been, at least in the mean- 

 time, destroyed. The general surface of the cinders is very 

 bare, except where soil has been mixed with them here and 

 there, and where a few clumps of docks and other deep- 

 rooted plants have gained a hold. On one part, where the 

 surface looks almost covered with herbage from a little 

 distance, there are several low-growing but vigorous plants 

 of broom, and a few whin and gooseberry bushes. 



On the area not covered with cinders the changes 

 already described as in progress have continued to advance. 

 The coarser grasses and weeds have still more fully occupied 

 the surface, so that the former tracks have almost disap- 

 peared, and only one or two bare patches mark where sawdust 

 heaps lay. 



Over much of the ground it is now difficult to make 

 one's way through the dense masses of thistles, hemlock, 

 and other coarse weeds. Thus annuals and low-growing 

 perennials become more and more restricted, and are now 



