1895.] Gibson. — Boia7iy of a School Playgrotmd in Dublin. 281 



around the tennis pavilion some years ago, and, though the 

 pavilion is gone, the Saxifraga remains, endeavouring to push 

 its head between the Alexanders {S7ny?'?iium), which love to 

 congregate about a ruin. Here, too, a plant of Hemlock 

 (Co7iiu?n macidatuvi) grew this year, plainly distinguishable 

 (though young) by its smooth and spotted stem ; while Wild 

 Parsley {Anthriscus sylvestris) and Gout- weed {Aigopoditmi 

 Podagraria), known as Bishop-weed, from the difficulty of 

 uprooting it, are more plentiful than is desirable. Fool's 

 Parsley {^tJmsa Cy7iapi2wi\ too, with its peculiar bracts 

 abounds ; and the Common Fennel {Fceniadiwi officinale), 

 grown from seed, is now domesticated. A few plants of the Cow- 

 Parsnip {Heracli2i7n Spho7idylium) and Wild Carrot {Dauciis 

 Ccirota) — remarkable for the sheathing-base of the leaves in 

 the one, and for the central purple flower in the other — have 

 been allowed, by me, to grow, though I have no desire that the 

 stock should increase. The Golden Elder grows luxuriantly ; 

 but it, of course, I have planted, as an ornament to the play- 

 ground, and I only refer to it as being a specimen of an order 

 which could not otherwise have been represented. lyadies* 

 Bed-straw {Galiiun veriwi) survives, because of its flowering- 

 time, and Galiu77i Apari7te has an attachment to the place 

 quite distinct from that with which it favours a pedes- 

 trian's trousers ; but Sweet Woodruff {Aspertda odorata) 

 can scarcely be said to thrive, although there are, at least, 

 two plants. Field Madder {Sherardia arvensis) I planted 

 some years ago ; and, though scarcely spreading, it is, 

 at least, not declining. The Red Valerian {Ce7itra7ithus 

 ruber) grows upon a wall. Corn Salad ( Valeria7iella olitoria) 

 'is certainly indigenous, for, in my garden, it is by no means 

 encouraged, and yet it spreads amazingly. Both the Field 

 and Small Scabious {Scabiosa arve7isis and S. sziccisa) some- 

 times show ; and a plant of Jasio7ie tno7ita7ia has not only 

 established itself but started a colony. Of the Chicory group 

 I introduced the Yellow Goat's-beard {Tragopogo7i prate7isis\ 

 ^2Xs2S.y {T.porrifolitis)y and Wild Succory {Cichorimn hitybus) ; 

 and these have propagated themselves, unaided, for several 

 years. But this Composites group is so involved, with Hawk- 

 bits, Hawk's-beards and Hawk-weeds, that I shall not even 

 attempt an enumeration, except to say that we have many 



