THE DISAPPEARANCE OF 

 PLANTS 



It cannot be doubted that the flora of Great Britain 

 has considerably changed during the last three hun- 

 dred years. On the one hand a goodly number of 

 plants, many of them from America, have found their 

 way into this country and have become completely 

 naturalised. Among these may be mentioned such 

 characteristic species as the pretty yellow balsam, 

 which lines the banks of the Wey near Guildford and 

 of other Surrey streams; the little white Claytonia, 

 which may now be found abundantly on the sandy 

 heaths of Bagshot and of Wolmer Forest ; and the 

 Canadian pond-weed, which since 1847 has spread so 

 rapidly through our canals and rivers. But, on the 

 other hand, many interesting species of the old Eng- 

 lish flora have become exceedingly scarce, while a few 

 have altogether disappeared. Some plants, apparently 

 common in the days of the early botanists, must now 

 be reckoned among our greatest rarities, and will 

 never again be found in their old localities. If "Master 

 Doctor" Turner, or Gerarde the herbalist, or the illus- 

 trious John Ray, could come to life again, they would 

 search in vain the ancient haunts of many of their 

 most notable species. Many causes have contributed 



to this unfortunate result. The growth of towns con- 



87 



