Effects of the Climate. 253 



blossoms. The beautiful maiden's-hair fern, once so plentiful 

 on the neighbouring coast of the Isle of Wight, is also from the 

 same cause wanting. 



Still, great beauty blooms on the Forest streams and shores. 

 In the latter part of the summer, the mudbanks of the Beaulieu 

 river are perfectly purple with the sea-aster, whilst the sea- 

 lavender waves its bright blue crest among the reed-beds washed 

 over by eveiy tide. 



The valley of the Avon is characterized, as may be expected, 

 by the commoner species, which are to be found in such situa- 

 tions. Here, and in the adjoining cultivated parts, which once 

 were more or less a part of the Forest, we find the soap-wort 

 (Saponaria officinalis) and the thorn-apple {Datura Stramo- 

 nium), and those colonists which always harbour close to the 

 dwellings of man. Other considerations remain. The situation 

 and climate of the New Forest, of course, have a great effect 

 on its plants.* The two myrtles and the sweet-bay grow under 

 the cliffs of Eagleshurst, close to the Solent, unhurt by the 

 hardest frosts. The grapes ripen on the cottage-walls of Beau- 

 lieu nearly as early as in Devonshire. I have seen the coltsfoot 

 in full blossom, near Hythe, on the 27tli of February ; and the 

 blackthorn flowers at Wootton on the 3rd of April. 



The area of the New Forest comes under Watson's Sub- 

 province of the Mid- Channel, on the Southern belt of his Infer- 

 agrarian zone. Its position lies exactly half-way between his 

 Germanic and Atlantic types. The former shows itself by 

 Dianthus Ai'meria, and Pulicaria vulgaris, growing near March- 

 wood and Bisterne. The latter by such examples as Cotyledon 



* On this point see what Bromfield observes in his Introduction to the 

 Flora Vectensis, p. xxvi. 



253 



