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HINTS AND NOTES 



&c. Where heaps of stones have been 

 thrown down and then cleared away, on the 

 open ground one may find Red Poppy, Fumi- 

 tory, Shepherd's Purse, Persicaria, Spurrey, 

 Charlock, Wild Oat, &c., weeds that have 

 strayed there from the cornfield or elsewhere 

 quickly colonizing the new ground. 



Antiquity of the Highways. It is a common 

 fallacy to suppose that the earliest roads were 

 made by the Romans. But since there are a 

 great number of other roads of importance, 

 and certainly early origin, not made like those 

 of the Romans, it is better to consider that 

 these other roads are the earlier, and that the 

 Romans took the roads they found and im- 

 proved them themselves. 



This is, moreover, shown by the occurrence 

 along Roman roads of implements of the 

 Bronze and Neolithic Ages, and Pre-Roman 

 earthworks and burial-places with pottery, &c., 

 as well as tumuli and other remains of Roman 

 age. 



The situation of some of the oldest sites of 

 early civilization along the highway is in any 

 case largely responsible for the introduction of 

 plants into this country. Flax and some of 

 the cereals were brought by the early peoples 

 from the Continent, and the subsequent col- 

 onization of the country by Anglo-Saxons, 

 Danes, Normans, and others has in each case 

 augmented the original native flora, and it 

 was largely by the agency of the ancient high- 

 ways that these plants found their way into 

 the districts where now they are considered to 

 be native. 



High-level Roads and Low-level Roads. 

 Owing to the effect of the Ice Age it was not 

 possible in the Palaeolithic or early Stone Age 

 tor any direct tracks to be made across the 

 country as in later times, nor was man then 

 able to construct such roads, for his imple- 

 ments were of the crudest character, and his 

 intelligence of no higher order. When the 

 climate became ameliorated, man in the New 

 Stone Age or Neolithic period was able to 

 traverse the country more easily, and means 

 of communication became a necessity as the 

 beginnings of trade and agriculture became 

 possible. 



So it is found that there are certain types of 

 ancient road which date from the ensuing era 

 or Bronze Age. The low-lying country was 

 then of a marshy and unsuitable character for 

 cultivation, and impassable, so that the roads 

 at first ran along the ridges, and are known 

 as ritigavavs. Remains found along these 

 roads are the earliest. Next to these were 

 hillside roads, which ran along the sides of 

 the valleys or the hills dividing them. These 

 were made in the late Bronze Age. Of a still 



later type are the harrow -ways of the South of 

 England, which are of late Celtic Age, just 

 preceding the Roman period, and it is probable 

 that these were largely utilized by the Romans 

 in making their own way across the country. 

 All these types are high-level roads, and the 

 low-level roads were not made until the country 

 was brought under cultivation and drainage 

 after the felling of forests. 



The distinction between these types of roads 

 is important in estimating the relative age of 

 introduction of plants by such means as roads. 



Roadside Habitats. Though a roadside ap- 

 pears to present extremely uniform conditions 

 at first sight, in reality there is a good deal of 

 diversity. A solitary bush by the wayside 

 may form exactly the habitat for such a plant 

 as Hemp Nettle, which requires such protec- 

 tion, but not that of a moist ditch. 



The macadam at its margin or on old 

 unfrequented roads affords a habitat for a 

 number of characteristic plants, such as Silver- 

 weed and Common Cinquefoil. Along the 

 sward at the side of the road grow the usual 

 meadow or pasture plants, varying with the 

 soil. On clay in early spring on open ground 

 the Lesser Celandine may be seen, on sandy 

 loamy soil later appears the Upright Meadow 

 Crowfoot. 



The ditch affords a habitat for moisture-lov- 

 ing plants, such as Watercress, Willow-herbs, 

 Figwort, and in wide ditches one may find 

 Duckweed and Starvvort, or Water Buttercup. 

 The bank of the hedge affords a shelter for 

 numerous plants that require shade and pro- 

 tection, such as the Herb Robert, Jack-by-the- 

 Hedge, Avens, White Dead Nettle, Nettle, 

 Docks of various kinds which grow near 

 water, with Sedges and Rushes and many 

 others. The three-nerved Sandwort and Chick- 

 weed grow in the hedge bottom, as do Arch- 

 angel and Moschatel. 



In the hedge itself grow Hawthorn (wide- 

 spread), Elder, Sloe, Buckthorn, Cornel, 

 Blackberry, Rose, Field Maple, Guelder Roses, 

 and such trees as Oak, Ash, Beech, Wych and 

 Common Elm, &c. 



There is frequently a little scrub at the side 

 of the road, in some parts made up of Sloe or 

 Furze or Bramble, amongst which many other 

 plants, as Grassy Stitch wort, &c., will grow. 

 Further variety is afforded by the occasional 

 occurrence of ponds or streams by the way- 

 side. 



Limits of Roadside Vegetation. Soil alone 

 does not cause the variation to be noticed in a 

 roadside flora. Much depends upon the alti- 

 tude of a road also, apart from the effect this 

 usually has upon the upkeep of the road. 

 Above loco ft. cultivation ends, and with this 



