BUINS, WALLS, AND WASTE PLACES. 85 



the dry hedge-bank. Its hairy pale green foliage, 

 and white flowers in dense two-parted branches, dis- 

 tinguish the Broad-leaved Mouse-ear Chickweed (Ce- 

 rastium vulgatum). Its seed-capsules are curiously 

 curved as they ripen. The Narrow-leaved variety 

 (G. viscosuni) is a coarser plant with narrower leaves. 

 Some other varieties may be found, but they are 

 local. 



The Eock Cresses, too, are numerous, and several 

 varieties grow on particular spots. They are all dis- 

 tinguished by their white crons-shaped blossoms, 

 toothed leaves, and narrow spreading pods. The 

 British Eock Cress (Arabia strictd) is common only 

 on carboniferous limestone. The Tower Cress (Arobis 

 turrito) seems to love old universities, for it is found 

 on the walls of several colleges. The Hairy Eock 

 Cress (Arobis hirsuto), with its somewhat rough 

 woody stem, round which the root-leaves form like a 

 star, and the hairy stem-leaves embrace it closely, is 

 more common. The white flowers are succeeded by 

 the upright pods. 



Many cottagers in Great Britain have, like Andrew 

 Fairservice in " Eob Eoy," " forced the early Nettles 

 for their spring kail." There are three kinds. The 



