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campestrU, is, as in all hill districts, conspicuous by its absence ; while the Moun- 

 tain, or Wych, Elm, Ulmus montana, the Oak, and the Ash, flourish well ; the latter 

 attaining the largest size. The Holly, Ilex aquifoliura, is a shrub which is very 

 partial to the hill-side woods in these valleys, growing luxuriantly, and becoming 

 a small tree ; and in some places forming woods almost to the exclusion of every 

 other species. It goes without saying that the beautiful Birch silvers the hill-sides 

 everywhere. The variety, however, is here (at least most of it) the rigid upright 

 one with rhomboid leaves, Betula glutinosa, not the more graceful Birch with 

 pendent branches, B. verrucosa, which is usually planted. 



The hills during the months of August and September are rendered beautiful 

 by the Ling, Calluna vulgaris, and the Cross-leaved Heath, Erica tetralix. It 

 is curious that the more common species of Heath, the Fine-leaved Heath, Erica 

 cinerea, is totally absent from these hills, though it is the only one which occurs in 

 the rest of Herefordshire. Parts of the Ffwddog are preserved for grouse, and in 

 consequence the heath is taken care of. Tiie effect of this is that there are as fine 

 and extensive beds of Ling upon the Ffwddog as on any hills of South Wales. 

 The Crowberry, Empetrum nigrum, and the Bilberry, Vaccinium Myrtillus, are 

 very abundant ; the Red Whortleberry, V. Vitis-idaa, somewhat less so. The 

 Bilberry is extensively collected by women and children during July and August 

 for the sake of pies and preserves : the Whortleberry used to be collected in this 

 way also, 30 years ago, but it appears to be now much rarer upon the hills. At 

 this season of the year also the Sweet Mountain Fern, Nepkrodium Oreopteris 

 and Borrer's Fern, Nepkrodium Filix-mas, Borreri, abound, and are a great 

 ornament to the hills. Both these ferns grow in tufts, many fronds springing in 

 a ring from one root ; while the latter is conspicuous for the dense clothing on its 

 stipe of shaggy golden scales, which contrast finely with the light-green of its stiff 

 fronds. Another fern which must perhaps be placed among common plants in 

 Herefordshire, though rare in many counties, the Scaly Hart's Tongue, Cetera^h 

 officinarum, reaches a very fine development in these valleys, and will be found 

 on walls at Llanthony Abbey and elsewhere in large quantity and beautiful 

 growth. The Shining Crane's-bill, Geranium lucidum, is also a great ornament 

 to the old walls in both these valleys ; and the Fox-glove, Digitalis purpurea, and 

 Golden Eod, Solidago Virga-aurea, to the hanging woods and blanks. 



The Honddu Valley will afford the naturalist a sight of not a few species, 

 local and rare in Herefordshire. The cliffs and their debris are covered with 

 the Mossj' Saxifrage, Saxifraga hypiwides, and sponheviica, while among the 

 loose stones of the debris the three ferns — Oak, Beech, and Limestone Fern, 

 Polypodium. Dryopteris, Phcgopteris, and JRobertianum, grow in some places in 

 abundance. The crannies of the mossy walls, as well as those of the cliffs them- 

 selves, teem with Brittle Fern in various forms {Cystopteris fragilis, probably 

 also dentata), and they also produce many varieties of the Prickly Shield Fern, 

 Aspidium aculcatum, some of which have decei\ed many a happy botanist into the 

 idea that he had found the veritable Holly Fern. But Aspidium Lonchitis is not 

 to be met with, it appears, south of Carnarvonshire ; here we can only aspire to 

 lonchitidioidet I In the valley, along the damp shady lanes and river banks the 



