426 CHARLES CARDALE BABINGTON. [1889 



Notes. 



SoiL You can hardly ever find clay or sand even nearly pure ; except 

 some feet beneath the surface. The present surface is always much altered 

 Jiom the geological structure, by the decomposition of the plants which have 

 ^rown upon it. Peat, such as we have in the Fens, and is found in your deep 

 peat-mosses, is very different from the peaty soil found on higher land, and of 

 ■course requires totally different treatment. We want peaty soil to grow some 

 plants in our Botanical Garden, and have to send many miles for it, although 

 we have abundance of the fen-peat close at hand. When your results differ 

 from those of Mr. Carruthers and other observers, such as Sir J. Lawes, we 

 must remember that their results are obtained in the south of England, and 

 jours in the 7wrth of Scotland. This will account for very great difference 

 in results. Of course, what is wanted for alternate culture is very different 

 from the requirements of permanent pasture. One single Grass may be best 

 for the former; but certainly not for the latter. It is clear that nature 

 provides a mixture on old {veri/ old) pastures which have never, or not for a 

 very long time, been touched by the plough. A square yard of very old 

 pasture, such as sheep like, or probably' beasts also, will be found to produce 

 many plants in various quantities — far from being all grasses. In laying 

 ■down permanent pasture, that has to be attended to, as far as it can in each 

 climate. 



Oats. In Ireland where the climate is very damp and mild, the oat is 

 almost the only cereal which can be cultivated with tolerable success. Damp- 

 ness seems to have more to do with it than elevation or heat. The west of 

 Ireland, where it is almost the only grain which succeeds, is hardly ever 

 visited by frost, and has comparatively little direct sunshine in the summer : 

 scarcely a day without rain, and a constant very damp air from the Atlantic. 

 It is not therefore elevation or latitude which will altogether account for its 

 success or failure in cultivation. You have those disadvantages, and they are 

 probably the causes with you. Lolium ferenne, the true Rye-Grass, is a 

 native in nearly the whole of Scandinavia, if we leave out Lapland. Of 

 course, in those northern districts it renews itself from seed in the natural 

 way. 



Rhinanthus (Jrista-galli I fear injures the grass. It is partially a 

 parasite on the roots of grass, and I am always sorry to see it on grass land. 

 Probably Ulex might be cultivated with advantage in some places. Sheep 

 Are very fond of its young shoots. 



To T. E. Archer Briggs, Esq. 



Cambeidge, Nov. 29, 1889. 



Dear Sir, — Your raniosus (form 2) just sent to me does seem 

 very like macrostemon which I have before me (Bub. Select. 60), but, 

 as you say, the leaves are more decidedly felted, especially those of 

 the flower-shoots. Focke says, "as a rule white-felted beneath." 

 It is probable therefore that they vary in that respect. He also 

 says, on p. 192, "foliola . . . raro virentia." Specimens from you 

 labelled "By the turnpike-road between Horrabridge Railway 

 Station and Tavistock, Aug. 21, 1869," shew a great tendency to 

 have felt on the leaves, and are exceedingly like the Bub. Select. 60. 



