Slti SCIENCE OF AGRICULTURE. Pakt II 



flavum) ; Can-x, many species j Jancus, various species ; tuberous bitter vetch (Crobus 

 tuberosus) ; greater bird's-foot trefoil (Lotus major , and small-horned fcorniculatus) ; 

 officinal soapwort (Saponaria officinalis); but the Z'ussilago P.irfara is a certain and 

 universal sign of an argillaceous soil, and is the chief plant found on the alum grounds 

 of Britain, Prance, and Italy. 



2125. Calcareous. Spiked Bpeedwell {VerSmica spicata), little bedstraw (Galium 

 pusillum), officinal gromwell (Z.ithospe'rmum officinale) and purple-blue (purpuro- 

 caerbleum), clustered bell-flower (Campanula glomerata), hybrid prismatocarpus (l'ris- 

 matocarpus hyhridus), round-headed rampion (Phytcinna orbiculare), lychnitis mullein 

 ( Perbascum Lychnitis), way&ring tree ( PIburnum Lantana), common berberry (Herberts 

 vulgaris), common dwarf sun rose(Helianthemum vulgare), common Pulsatilla anemone 

 (./nemone Pulsatilla), white vine, virgin's bower, or traveller's joy (Clematis Vitalba), 

 cultivated saintfoin (Onobrychis saliva). 



2126. Si/ici'us. Three-leaved speedwell (Veronica triphyllosj and vernal (veYna), 

 Italian viper's bugloss (JETchium italicum), smooth rupture-wort (Herniaria glabra) 

 and hairy birs&ta), English catchfly (Silene angliea) and other species, red sandwort 

 (Arenaria rubra), &c, corn-field spurrey v Spergula arvensis), hybrid poppy (i'apaver 

 hybridum), Argemone, Ike. 



2127. Femigineous. Common sorrel (Bumex Acetosa) and sheep's sorrel (Aceto- 

 sella). 



2128. Peaty. Bilberry ( Kaccinium jMyrtillus), bleaberry (uliginosum), cranberry 

 (Oxycoccus palustris) heath, (.Erica) 4 sp., awl-shapcd spurrey (Spergula subulata), 

 officinal septtbil ( Tormentilla officinalis). 



2129. Saline. Glasswort Salicornia) 4 species, marine wrackgrass (Zbstera marina), 

 sea ruppia (Ruppir; maritima), sea lung-wort (Pulmonaria maritima), Soldanella bear- 

 bind (Calystegia Soldanella), whorled knotgrass (Plecebrum verticillatum), sea goose- 

 foot (Chenopodium maritimum) and shrubby (fruticosum), kali saltwort (Salsola Kali), 

 whorl-leaved honeywort (Sison verticillatum), marine sandwort (Arenaria marina), &c, 

 fringed orache (W'triplex laciniata). 



21 SO. Aquatic- Marsh marigold (Caltha palustris), common mare's-tail (//ippuris 

 vulgaris), common butterwort (I'inguicula vulgaris), European water-horehound (Lyco- 

 pus europa: v us), dioecious valerian ( Valeriana dioica), marsh violet ( Flola palustris), 

 Yalerandi's brookweed (Samolus Valerandi), marsh thysselinum (Thysselinum.palu.stre), 

 square-stalked epilobium (Epilobium tetragonum), willow lythrum (/.ythrum Salicaria), 

 tongue-/tw«'fZ crowfoot ifanunculus Lingua) and spearwort (Flammulaj. 



2131. Very dry. Red sandwort (Arenaria rubra), sheep's sorrel (Pumex Acetosella), 

 wild thyme (Thymus Serpyllum), common acynos (^4'cynos vulgaris), field trefoil (Tri- 

 fdlium arvense). 



2132. These plants are not absolutely to be depended on, however, even in Britain; 

 and in other countries they are sometimes found in soils directly opposite. Still, the 

 cultivated saintfoin (Onobrychis sativa) is almost always an indication of a calcareous soil ; 

 the common coltsfoot ( 7'ussilago Parfara), of blue clay; the red sandwort (Arenaria 

 rubra), of poor sand; and the sheep's sorrel (/iumex Acetosella), of the presence of 

 iron, or of peat The common reed (Phragmites communis) and the amphibious poly- 

 gonum (Polygonum amphibium) grow on alluvial soils, which yield excellent crops if 

 properly drained; but where the corn horse-tail (Pquisetum arvense) grows freely, 

 it indicates a cold and retentive subsoil. The corn-field pimpernel (^nagallis arvensis), 

 the corn-field madder (Sherardia arvensis), the corn-field gromwell (Pithosperinum 

 arvtnse), and the salad lamb's lettuce ( Valerianel/a olitoria), grow on cultivated lands, 

 where the soil is a strong black loam on a dry bottom ; when such a soil is wet, the 

 clown's all-heal (Stachys palustris) makes its appearance. A light sandy soil is known 

 by the presence of the purple archangel (Pamium purpureum); the shepherd's purse 

 (Capsella bursa pastoris). If the parsley piert (Alchemilla A'phanes) is found, the soil 

 is rather unproductive ; if the corn-field spurrey (Spergula arvensis) grows very thick, 

 the ground has likely been rendered too fine by the harrow ; the common ragwort 

 (Senecio Jacoba?\i), and the cornfield cirsium (Cirsium arvense), grow indiscriminately 

 on light and strong loams, but always indicate a fertile soil. The wall draba (TJraba 

 muralis) and the annual knawel (Scleranthus animus) grow on soils that are dry, sandy, 

 and poor in the extreme. The spiny rest-harrow (Ononis spinosa) is often found on 

 dry pasture, and where the soil is incumbent on rotten rock. The aquatic, peaty, and 

 saline soils are almost every where indicated by their appropriate plants ; a proof, as we 

 have before stated, that the climate and natural irrigation of plants have much more 

 influence on their habits than mere soil. (Galpine's Compendium ; Flora Brit. ; Loudon's 

 J/ortus lirit. ; Kent's Hints; Farmers' Mag- Feb. 1819; and the Quarter/// Journal of 

 Agric. for Aug. 1828.) 



