xv HOME LIFE AND TRAVELS 387 



Corner, and on the left to Ranmore, everywhere 

 breathing pure and invigorating highland air. 



The luxuriance of the undergrowth is seen by the 

 bracken, of which I have gathered stems seven feet in 

 height. Such luxuriance appears to be unknown in 

 Russia and Germany, for I remember taking my 

 friends Beilstein from St. Petersburg and Quincke 

 from Heidelberg through some of our woodland paths, 

 when the former, pointing to the bracken, said : " Mein 

 Gott, wir sind hier in der Flora der Kohlenformation." 

 The underwood on these hills is cut down every 

 ten years for hurdles and fagotting, and the pun- 

 gent odour of charcoal burning is often noticed. I 

 know of nothing near London like the miles of 

 untouched natural woodland which stretches on either 

 side of our house. The richness of flower-growth in 

 these woods is surprising. To meet the demand for 

 primroses wherewith to decorate the statue of Ben- 

 jamin Disraeli, Dame Nature produces in our neigh- 

 bourhood an inexhaustible supply. But it is only 

 when the underwood is cut during the previous winter 

 that the " simple flower" is seen in its full luxuriance. 

 Why the primrose is rarely found when the under- 

 growth is still standing, and why it occurs in such 

 profusion after it is cut, is a matter which perhaps the 

 botanists can explain. Among other features of our 

 woods are the splendid specimens of cupressus which, 

 planted many years ago by the late Lord Lovelace, 

 have now reached gigantic proportions. 



As soon as the primroses are over, the woods are 

 carpeted a brilliant blue by hyacinths, whilst the fields 

 are full of yellow cowslip. Later on the rhododendrons, 

 which have also been planted in the woods, put forth 

 their glorious flowers, and on Netley Heath, which 

 lies before us, plantations of rhododendrons give to 



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