1859.] WANDSWORTH PLANTS. 345 



Several of the Gramiyiece of the above list have been already 

 recorded, except Crypsis aculeata, Poa sudetica, and some un- 

 known Digitarias. Poa sudetica, a Grass found in the interior of 

 Germany, is now well established in the grounds of the Royal 

 Hospital, Chelsea, where it is not likely to be disturbed. It is 

 a perennial, hassocky, spreading Grass, bears abundance of broad, 

 succulent leaves, and will probably become an important agri- 

 cultural Grass. It is an acquisition to the British Flora. 



The above are all that have as yet been observed and identified. 

 They are probably not more than half the entire number of 

 species introduced in these places. Some have doubtless been 

 overlooked ; several have been forgotten, or memoranda of their 

 discovery cannot be produced, being mislaid ; and a very large 

 proportion cannot be satisfactorily determined. 



In future the stragglers from foreign parts and the new sta- 

 tions for uncommon species will be entered at stated periods, 

 and the room occupied by them will be insignificant compared 

 with the space necessary for a notice of nearly two hundred. 



A question has been raised about the propriety and utility of 

 publishing such notices as this. This question is a very proper 

 one. It deserves a proper answer ; and it may be answered with 

 at least as much amenity as has sometimes been manifested in 

 its proposal. 



What is the use of recording the numerous waifs or strays 

 that are manifestly the rejectamenta of gardens, the produce of 

 muck-heaps, things that have sprung up from among the sweep- 

 ings of the granaries and warehouses of London ? These plants 

 are not British, and therefore, say some, why enter them among 

 native productions ? Were we to reject every plant which can- 

 not historically be traced from that remote period, when the 

 British Isles first emerged from the lap of Thetis, to the present 

 time, our Flora would shrink within humble dimensions. It 

 would not be quite so distinguished either for numbers or in- 

 terest, among the Floras of the nations, as the mixed races of 

 Britons are distinguished among the inhabitants of the world. 



Every object which the great Creator caused to grow either on 

 the earth or in the water, has a history from which something 

 may be learned, if observers will open their eyes to see, and en- 

 large their minds to receive and entertain the instruction thereby 

 conveyed. It cannot be unknown to the most superficial ob- 



N. S. VOL. III. 2 Y 



