ARTICLES 6i 



former asks for records of about a dozen species (plus certain 

 extras if the observer feel inclined to record them), stipulates 

 that in successive years the same or a closely adjacent plant 

 shall be selected in each species for observation, and bars any 

 record (except under a warning proviso) of a plant that may be 

 supposed to have been in flower more than four days before 

 it have been noted ; whereas the latter affords data concerning 

 a far larger number of species, but with no guarantee — or 

 even probability in very many cases — that the locale and 

 situation are identical in successive years, and no guarantee 

 that the plant may not have been in flower for more than 

 four days before discovery. It will be shown, however, that, 

 if groups of plants be taken according to season, and their 

 dates averaged, an obviously reliable result is obtained. 



On the other hand, certain precautions must be observed. 

 If the diarist be usually or frequently away from home in any 

 given season, the flowers of that season will not be available 

 among the records of his or her " station." In a general way, 

 such flowers should be chosen as grow near the observer's 

 home and are either so common or conspicuous — or so specially 

 sought every year on account of their rarity — that there is 

 small chance that their flowering will escape speedy observation ; 

 whereas plants that can be obtained only at the expense of 

 a long walk or a cycle-ride may necessarily have to await the 

 observer's leisure or a hohday, and thus may be obtained 

 sometimes only appreciably after their first flowering.' Any 

 very rare plant found only at a distance is specially unsuitable 

 for these records : since, if experience have shown that no 

 other member of the branch ever finds this species, even a 

 keen competitor may defer a special journey for it until other 

 and later-flowering plants can be obtained in the same locality. 



One other proviso remains. No entry can be made in a 

 Wild Flower Society diary before March i— a date very 

 suitable perhaps for the Northern members, but far too late 

 for Southern stations. Here on the coast of South Cornwall, 

 in a forward season, from four to five dozen plants are found 

 in flower on that date, and some of them — e.g. Snowdrop, 

 Primrose, Hellebore, Hazel, Small Celandine, etc.— have been 

 in flower for weeks. Hence the absence from the following 

 tables of very many common and famihar plants that would 

 figure prominently in a Northern record. 



There is, however, some compensation for this unfortunate 

 blemish in the records, in that there is annually a keen com- 

 petition among the members of the Society — irrespective of 

 branches— to find the greatest number of flowers on March i : 



1 These remarks do not apply if the observer be, e.g., a country-doctor, 

 or otherwise have daily occasion to wander far. 



