The Woodland Plants 231 



Anemone nemorosa. 



I r inla silvestrix. 



V. Riviniana. 



I Vr/V& sepium. 

 Primula elatlor. 

 Melampyrum cristatum. 

 Orchis mascula. 

 Allium ursinum. 

 Ornithogalum umbellatum (rare). 

 Scilla festalis. 

 Paris quadrifolia. 

 Bromus ramosus. 



The most noteworthy feature of this list is the absence of 

 the common primrose and the presence of the Oxlip; other- 

 wise the list, with the exception of Melampyrum cristatum and 

 possibly Ornithogalum umbellatum, which is a doubtful native, 

 might stand for any wood in the south of England. 



The distribution of Primula elatior will be briefly referred 

 to when the remaining features of these two districts have 

 been described. 



The meadow land is chiefly remarkable for its immense 

 numbers of Cowslips, which are seen in their full beauty in May. 



The derelict lands of the western portion are the direct 

 outcome of the high price of wheat during the first half of 

 last century, and the subsequent fall in price; much land 

 which was before this time good pasture was ploughed up, 

 fine old chalk downs were ruined, but no part of the Cambridge 

 district seems to have suffered so severely as these clay lands. 

 They are at present practically valueless, they will not grow 

 grain at a profit, they have not been turned back into pasture, 

 they have neither been planted with fruit trees nor oaks, they 

 have simply been left ; the result is a poor matting of Couch 

 and Yorkshire Fog, thinly covering the clay, whilst haw- 

 thorn, ranging in size from a tiny seedling to a great thorny 

 bush, threatens to turn the land into an impenetrable thicket. 



