THE BUSH VETCH AND 



SWEET-SCENTED 

 ^ VEKNAL OKASS. 



1 *f Vlcia sepium. Nat. Ord., Lcguminoste. 

 /' Anthoxanthum odoratum. Nat. Ord., 

 Graminete. 



E bush vetch, though not so 

 conspicuous as many other plants, 

 is of very common occurrence. 

 It will ordinarily be found in 

 woods and thickets and shady 

 hedgerows, though it is by no 

 means confined to these localities. 

 The specimen we have figured, 

 and which may be considered a 

 very fairly typical example, was 

 growing by the side of a dusty 

 highway on a hedge-bank, facing 

 due south, and entirely without 

 shelter from the direct rays of 



the summer sun. The plant is commonly distributed 

 throughout the whole of Britain, and may be found 

 in blossom all through the summer months. We see 

 from the records of a local natural history society that 

 its average first appearance in flower, calculated from 

 observations extending over nine years, is the 22nd of 

 April, the earliest date at which it has been observed 

 being April 14th, and the latest May 5th. Once in flower, 

 it may be met with all through June, July, August, Sep- 



