SOME GENERAL MINIS AND NOTES 



SECTION II 



FllvLDS AM) M1-;A1)()\\S 



Accessibility cf the Meadows. A meadow Soiiie n-niarUs should Ih- made as to col- 

 or pasture is perhaps tor field work the most lectinj^ and observinjj, but only general direc- 

 accessible type or habitat for purposes of tions can be ijiven here. Reference should be 

 teachinij botany first-hand. As a rule, in made to the author's ['rmliial Field liolany 

 most parts of the country permission need not (Griflln & Co.) for full details on this subject, 

 be obtained for this or any other purpose, if it | Plants should be collected in a fresh state, 



be a legitimate one, hence the advantage of 

 studying the meadow from this one point 

 alone. 



There are generally public footpaths across 



and it should be sellled beforehand whether 

 they are for study merely or for preserva- 

 tion. As complete a specimen .is can bi; found 

 should be selected, and this should be a typical 



meadows leading from one place to anollier, one without any abnormal characters. 



Observations should be made on ihe spol, 

 and for this reason the pui>ils should be 

 provided with notebooks, pencils, sketching 

 blocks, squared paper, materials for making 

 maps, callipers for measuring, dissecting in- 

 struments of a simple kind, apart from those 

 appliances, &c. , that are required for definite 

 survey work if such is undertaken on more 

 scientific lines. For elementary work, of 

 appliances 



and these can always be used, each district 

 usually having its own footpath maps, which 

 should be secured as a guide to the topography 

 of the district and to avoid trespassing. In 

 general, meadows laid to grass must not 

 in summer be entered, nor those that abut 

 upon woods where game is preserved, and 

 where there are coops with hens and young 

 pheasants. 



Care should also be taken to close every ! course, fewer and more simple 

 gate, as this is a frequent source of annoyance will be sullicient. 



to farmers, as is also the breaking down of Meadows once Common Land. — Originally 

 fences in going from one field to another. If meadows .md p.istures were forest l.inds. 

 these precautions are taken few fiirmers will Gradually, owing to one cause or another, 

 make any objection to excursions across these forests were cut down. .X great part 

 country, except in areas where game is pre- of the land not under cultivation or planted 

 served. with trees was common land, upon which the 



If in any particular district such common countryman could graze his c.itlle, &c., free of 

 rights are not recognized it is advisable to rent or tithe. But gradu.dly these rights of the 

 obtain permission, which, as a rule, owners or people, as tlK-y were looked upon, wi-re taken 

 occupiers will grant for such purposes. from them, and to-day very little common land 



.-\ word should here be said as to the neces- exists. In some cases these lands were en- 

 sity of preserving wild plants, and protecting closed so long ago as (he sixteenth century, 

 them from any possible chance of exlermina- but the bulk of the common land was enclosed 

 tion by exercising, in the case of rare species, in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. 



if it is desired to make collections, great care 

 in picking plants in such a way as not to 

 endanger their chance of perpetuating them- 

 selves, and where only a few plants are to 

 be seen none should be picked. 



The significance of the enclosure of land is 

 very important, and is usually ignored in 

 studying the character of vegetation. Bui 

 upon a meadow or pasture the effect has been 

 profound. Instead of wide stretches of pasture 



