WEEDS AND ALIEN PLANTS 7 



When first I came here, and for a long 

 time afterwards, " Erysimum cheiranthoides" 

 was always among the kitchen garden weeds, 

 and one year I found growing in a bed of 

 onions its near relative "Erysimum orientale," 

 which is quite a rare British plant. 



Greater celandine, a rather handsome 

 perennial with somewhat glaucous leaves and 

 bright yellow flowers, used to be an abundant 

 weed on the banks and among the bushes, 

 and is still (1911) to be found in the garden, 

 though in diminished quantity. 



In 1889, a strange plant appeared which 

 puzzled me a good deal at first. It was tall 

 and straggling, but had no flowers. Next 

 spring there were several of the same plants, 

 very much branched with something of the 

 habit of a mugwort, and long spikes of 

 flowers at the end of every branch. I dis- 

 covered it to be a species of "Ambrosia," a 

 native of North America, but I soon dis- 

 covered also that it increased by underground 

 runners in every direction, and was only too 

 thankful to get rid of it. 



Two years before, I had found another 

 visitor, this time from South America, with 

 bright yellow flowers, evidently allied to 

 forget-me-not, which proved to be an "Am- 

 sinckia " (intermedia ?). There were about 

 20 plants of this annual in one border and 

 several others in other parts of the garden. 

 With some consideration, but with no par- 



