VIII.] LOAMS 165 



Bracken Fern {Pteris aquilina)^ and the Foxglove 

 {Digitalis purpurea) are typical, all of them being 

 associated with lack of lime also ; while the character- 

 istic trees are the Spanish Chestnut, the Silver Birch, 

 the Holly, and many Conifers, particularly Pinus 

 pinaster. 



The sandy soils pass by insensible stages into the 

 loams — indeed many of the most fertile loams are really 

 sands in which the finer silt fractions predominate. 

 Properly a loam is marked by an equable distribution 

 of the various grades of particles, with enough clay and 

 fine silt to render it retentive of moisture and manure, 

 but with sufficient sand to keep it open and well drained. 

 Chemically, also, the loams might be described as well 

 found, without any specific deficiencies or excesses ; 

 particularly the proportion of carbonate of lime, though 

 it may be small, is sufficient to maintain the neutrality 

 of the soil. The loams might, on the one hand, be said 

 to have no specific flora; on the other hand, certain 

 plants are only found on good, free-working soil in fair 

 condition, so that they may be taken as indicative of 

 fertile loams. Among trees the Elm is characteristic, as 

 are clean, well-grown Thorn hedges, and an abundance 

 of Nettles {Urtica dioica) in the hedgerows and waste 

 places. On the arable land, Chickweed {Stellaria media)^ 

 Groundsel {Senecio vulgaris), Fat Hen {Chenopodium 

 albmn)y Annual Nettle {Urtica urens), and Sow Thistle 

 {Sonchus oleraceus) are weeds indicative of good land. 

 Goose Grass {Galium aperine), the Speedwells ( Veronica ^ 

 sp.), Pimpernel {Anagallis arvensis), Henbit {Lamium 

 amplexicaule), and various Spurges {Euphorbia peplus) 

 etc., are also common. On the pastures, Perennial Rye 

 will generally be the most characteristic grass, and its 

 smooth leaf gives a characteristic shine to some of the 

 best grazing land ; White Clover is also abundant, and 



