Ixii FLORA OF BERKSHIRE 



had some large trees in the cq^itre, but these were cut down about the 

 beginning of the present century ; the outer circle of trees was planted 

 by Pye, who was at that time Poet Laureate. The more unequal 

 watershed on the western side is also about 400 feet. For some 

 considei'able distance round Besilsleigh the light sandy soil gives 

 opportunity for the occurrence of ericetal plants, and similar soil is 

 also found on Boar's Hill and in the neighbourhood of Faringdon, &c. 

 A large portion of the Vale, as on the Gault and Kimeridge Clay, is 

 a strong loam ; this is principally under cultivation, and is very un- 

 interesting to the botanist. The Coralline Oolite ridge is in several 

 parts covered by extensive coppices, as at Tubney, Appleton, and 

 Pusey ; on this stratum the extremely rich marshes of Frilford and 

 Cothill are found. The narrow alluvial meadows of the Thames 

 and the wider ones of the Ock afford many local plants. The extensive 

 Chalk downs have a rich xerophilous flora. 



Space will only allow of a superficial description of plant localities 

 in this district. It is probable that a walk from Oxford over Foxcombe 

 Hill to Cothill and Marcham, and from thence to Abingdon, and 

 through the Eadley and Kennington meadows, back to Oxford, would 

 yield as large a gathering of plants as any district of similar extent 

 in Britain. 



A walk along the ' Ridgeway,' from Uffington to Wantage, would 

 pass over ground which would afford a considerable number of the 

 species already enumerated in the list of plants. The views from this 

 elevated roadway are particularly fine, stretching over the Vale of the 

 "White Horse to Faringdon Clump, Boar's Hill, the rounded Chalk 

 outliers known as the Wittenham Clumps, and the distant hills of 

 Wiltshire and Gloucestershire. 



The high ground of Boar's Hill and Foxcombe Hill, with Cumnor 

 Hurst and the coppices about it, and Bagley Wood, is also very 

 productive gi'OTind to the botanist, although building operations 

 threaten to destroy some of the country which was most prolific in 

 rare plants. The northern side of the hills is marked by water- 

 courses which have cut their way througli the soft strata ; one of 

 these valleys is now ocei^pied by the 'Rifle Butts,' another, which 

 during the last ten years was a rich marsh, has been brought into 

 what is called a state of cultivation, and a third was the source from 

 whence Oxford was formerly supplied with water. Even yet, not- 

 withstanding so much that has been done to destroy the wild character 

 of the locality, many plants of interest are to be found. The village 

 ^valls of the Hinkseys give Sechim dasypJiyllitm, Cotyledon Umbilicus, 

 Geranium lucidum, G. rofundifolium, Erophila praecox, Festuca Mxjurus, 

 Myosotis collina, Arenaria lepfoclades, Poa cowpressa, S:c. A rich growth of 

 that beautiful sedge Sctrpus sylvaticus may be found in one of the 



