430 



Mr. Brand read a paper by Mr. Edmonston, jun., on the Botany of Shetland, and 

 instituted a comparison between tlie number of genera and species existing in that re- 

 gion, and those which occur in other districts of Scotland. 



" The Botany of Shetland," observes Mr. Edmonston, " though not very exten- 

 sive, is interesting. Many of the less common (chiefly subalpine) plants are abundant 

 in all situations, and many species very commonly distributed, and indeed often mark- 

 ed as universal throughout Great Britain, are very rare or altogether unknown in Shet- 

 land. Among the last may be mentioned — Alchemilla arvensis and vulgaris, Briza 

 media. Primula veris, Anagallis arvensis. Convolvulus arvensis, Teucrium Scorodonia, 

 Geranium robertianum, Lapsana communis and others of the commonest weeds. Again, 

 Thalictrum alpimim, Blysmus rufus, and other local plants, are everywhere abundant, 

 growing down to the sea level ; and sylvan plants — those generally associated with 

 woods or luxuriant pasturage, are almost entirely wanting. The Geology of Shetland 

 is rich in interesting phenomena. The formation is almost wholly primitive — the most 

 abundant rocks being gneiss, mica-schist, clay and chlorite slate, granite, quartz, ser- 

 pentine, limestone, &c. ; besides which there are amygdaloidal porphyritic rocks of dif- 

 ferent kinds. The difiFereuce of formation between Shetland and Orkney is very striking 

 — that of the latter being as uninteresting as the former is the reverse. Orkney con- 

 sists chiefly of an apparent continuation of the North coast of the Mainland, being 

 composed of sandstone, clay-slate, and other secondary rocks, while the Shetlands may 

 be said to belong to the oceanic series of islands. Again, the diff"erence seems as great 

 between the Shetland and Faroe isles — for in the latter group the rocks are all basaltic. 

 Many of the Shetland rocks present a most remarkable degree of similarity to those of 

 the South of England — chrome ore, native magnesia, serpentine, crystallised fluor, and 

 several others, being common to both extremities of Great Britain, though rarely found 

 in the intermediate space ; and it is a singular fact, that some of the plants present a 

 corresponding analogy — as for instance, Lathyrus maritimus, &c. 



" The prevalence of peat is a very characteristic feature in the general aspect of 

 Shetland, and proves beyond a doubt the great abundance of trees in former ages. — 

 Judging from their remains, these seem chiefly to have belonged to Corylaceae and Pi- 

 naceae, as trunks and nuts of the hazel, and cones of Abies Picea, have repeatedly been 

 dug out of the moors. This evidence of their existing formerly in such abundance, 

 leads to the question whether they may still be grown. I certainly do not think that 

 the experiment has been fairly tried, nor is it probable that it soon will be on a scale 

 that can set the matter at rest. Indeed, many reasons seem to concur in rendering it 

 unlikely that trees could be reared so as to render them profitable in an economical 

 point of view. The frosts and cold weather which often occur early in autumn do not 

 leave the plants time to form their buds for hybernation before the old leaves are nip- 

 ped ; and the heat of summer is by no means sufficient (as in most other northern la- 

 titudes) to compensate for the shortness of its duration. I do not attach so much im- 

 portance as has sometimes been done to the influence of the sea spray, by which, during 

 heavy gales, Shetland is liable to be swept — for these happen generally after the sap 

 has descended, and when therefore the plant is dormant. 



I may here mention some experimeuts which have been carried on by my father 

 for five or six years, in order, if possible, to settle the question. He obtained from 

 Messrs. Lawson, of Edinburgh, all the more generally cultivated trees and shrubs, — 

 North British, North American, and North Asiatic, — and the result has been as fol- 

 lows : — Among the indigenous trees of Scotland, the ash appears to stand as well as 



