THE LOWER SANDGATE ROAD* 7 



common^ Stone-crop (Sedum acre) flowers along the 

 border of the upper path ; we may also find a few 

 specimens of it on the rocks on the opposite side of 

 the road, in which patch of ground flourishes also 

 the Burdock (Arctium Lappa) Here too by the side 

 of a stream containing just enough water to keep its 

 channel marshy, I was shown four or five years ago 

 the bright blossoms and leaves of the Bog Pimpernel 

 (AnagalUs tenclla}; it was plentiful then, and the 

 specimens I gathered have lost little of their beauty, 

 but the slips and shif tings of the ground seem now 

 to have caused its disappearance. Here and there 

 along the road we find the Tree Mallow (Lavatcm 

 arborea), the Woody Nightshade (Solanwn dulcamara), 

 and the Teazel (Dipsacus sylvestris). The Brambles 

 are in profusion, but (except in fruiting time) I 

 always fight shy of them, having a wholesome fear 

 of Babingtou and his forty-nine species. There are 

 the Dewberry (Ritbus casius) and the Blackberry 

 (R. fmticosus], that is all I venture to say about them. 

 One thing, however, the Lower Eoad lacks, namely 

 trees, they do not seem to get on there at all ; the 

 Scotch Fir thrives the best, but even these are sorry 

 specimens, libels on their species to any one who 

 has seen the magnificent trees in some parts of 

 Scotland. Several hundreds have been lately planted 

 on the slopes, the majority of which bid fair to suc- 

 ceed, so that in a few years there will be a great im- 

 provement. And while we are speaking of this Fir, 

 let me tell you that it is worth while tapping the 

 blossoms with your stick in the early summer only to 

 see the enormous clouds of yellow pollen which will 

 fill the air. Concerning which pollen, strange tales 



