Mar. 1911.] BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH 145 
investigation a close-cropped grass sward with a good deal 
of Carex panicea and C. glauca in some cases, or even a 
dominance of these. These grass strips seem to be due to 
gentle springs and rapid movement of water keeping the 
soil fresh. A somewhat similar grass slope may occur at 
the base of Alpine rocks and in the neighbourhood of Alpine 
rills ; but there is little of Alpine conditions in Orkney. 
Marsh-meadow of the lowlands.—While the evolution of 
a marsh never results in the production of a pure meadow in 
Orkney, it sometimes gives rise to a formation in which 
the grasses dominate over the sedges and other marsh 
plants. Such a type we may call a marsh-meadow, but 
this will be referred to again. 
Wet springy hollows.—The brown colour of the moor- 
lands is occasionally interrupted by green patches, chiefly 
in the valleys, where abundant movement of spring water 
or drainage water gives rise to a type of vegetation varying 
from simple marsh to a heathy pasture, but the bulk of 
which is akin to a marsh-meadow. 
The above are all more or less natural situations as 
described, but can rarely be found uninfluenced by grazing, 
drainage, etc. They are of very limited extent. 
The following are more directly due to man’s influence— 
still not including land in regular cultivation :— 
Drained marshes and wet ground formerly cultivated 
but long left untended.—Such areas develop into various 
kinds of marsh-meadow after some time. 
Dry permanent pastures either on ground formerly 
cultivated or on very old pasture ground, such as the vicinity 
of farm steadings and the borders of fields, where the 
various factors previously mentioned, grazing, spread of 
seeds, ete., are most active. . 
Grassy heath or heath pasture, where persistent heather- 
burning and long-continued pasturing have resulted in the 
heath grasses dominating over the heather. 
Besides the above there are grasslands which owe their 
existence to marine influence, and thus belong to the coast 
formations. They are probably the only types that would 
oceur to any extent in a state of nature. 
For the sake of completeness I briefly refer to them 
here also, 
