26 



THE WORLD OF LIFE 



CHAP. 



counties are quite as rich as those which are hilly or 

 mountainous. Again, we see that, within moderate limits, 

 greater area has little influence on richness of the flora, the 

 largest, West Yorkshire, having only about one-fifth more 

 species than the smallest, Middlesex, with only about one- 

 twelfth the area. 



The preponderating importance of variety of soil and 

 surface conditions affording good stations for plants, such as 

 woods, hedgerows, streams, bogs, etc., is well shown by a few 

 special comparisons that have been made by experienced 

 botanists. 



The Parish of Cadney (Lincolnshire), a little over 3 

 square miles in area, has 720 species of flowering plants ; 

 the county, nearly 900 times as large, having 1200. 



The Parish of Edmondsham (in Dorsetshire), covering 

 less than 3 square miles, has 640 species ; the county, 340 

 times as large, having 10 10 species. 



An equally remarkable instance was given by Mr. H. 

 C. Watson fifty years ago, and no doubt from his own 

 observations, as he resided in the county. 







Here we see that 10 square miles contained nearly as 

 many species as 60, and nearly two-thirds the number in 

 760 square miles ; while the single square mile produced 

 nearly half the number in the whole county. 



Taking still smaller areas, Mr. Woodruffe-Peacock found 

 fields in Lincolnshire and Leicestershire, of from 10 to 25 

 acres, to yield from 50 to 60 species of plants ; while a plot 

 of i6|- feet square (or 1 perch) would usually have 20 to 30 

 species. Old and long-disused stone-quarries are often very 

 rich, one of about two acres producing sometimes as many 

 species as the fields of eight or ten times the area. On a plot 



