316 SCIENCE OF AGRICULTURE. Part II. 



flkvuiii); Carex, many species; Juncus, various species; tuberous bitter vetch (O'robus 

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

 officinal soap wort (Saponkria officinahs) : but the Tussilago 2^arfara is a certain and 

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

 of Britain, France, and Italy. 



2125. Calcareous. Spiked speedwell {Veronica spicata), little bedstraw (Galium 

 pusillum), officinal gromwell ( Lithospermum officinale) and purple-blue (purpuro- 

 caeriileum), clustered bell-flower (Campanula glomerata), hybrid prismatocarpus (Pris- 

 matocArpus hybridus), ronndi-headed rampion (Phyteiima orbicularej, lychnitis mullein 

 ( Fierbascum Lychnitis), wayfaring tree ( Fiburnum Lantkna), common berberry [JBerberis 

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

 (y^nemone Pulsatilla), white vine, virgin's bower, or traveller's joy (Clematis VitAlba), 

 cultivated saintfoin (Onobrychis sativa). 



2126. SUicious. Three-leaved speedwell {Veronica triphyllosj and vernal (vema), 

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

 and hairy hirsuta), English catchfly (Silene anglica) and other species, red sandwort 

 (Arenaria rubra), &c., corn-field spurrey (Sp6rgula arv^nsis), hybrid poppy (Papaver 

 hybridum), Argemone, &c. 



2127. Ferrugineous. Common sorrel (jRumex Acetosa) and sheep's sorrel (Aceto- 

 sella). 



2128. Peaty. Bilberry (Faccinium Myrtillus), bleaberry (uliginosum), cranberry 

 (Oxycoccus palustris) heath, {Erxca) 4 sp., atvA-shaped spurrey (Spergula subulkta), 

 officinal septfoil (Tormentilla officinalis). 



2129. Saline. Glasswort (Salic6rnia) 4 species, marine wrackgrass (Zostera marina), 

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

 bind (Calyst^gia Soldanella), whorled knotgrass (/llecebrum verticillatum), sea goose- 

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

 wYioA-leaved honey wort (iSison verticillatum), marine sandwort (Arenaria manna), &c., 

 fringed orache (^'triplex laciniata). 



2130. Aquatic. Marsh marigold (CAltha palustris), common mare's-tail (jyippuris 

 vulgaris), common butterwort (Pinguicula vulgaris), European water-horehound (Lyco- 

 pus europas'^us), dioecious valerian ( Valeriana dioica), marsh violet ( Flola palustris), 

 Valerandi's brookweed (iSamolus ValerAndi), marsh thysselinum (Thysselinum palustre), 

 square-stalked epilobium (Epilobium tetragonum), willow lythrum (Lythrum Salicaria), 

 tongue-leaved crowfoot (Panunculus Lingua) and spearwort (Flammula). 



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

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

 foUum arv^nse). 



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 (Tussilago pArfara), of blue clay; the red sandwort (Arenaria 

 riibra), of poor sand; and the sheep's sorrel (Pumex 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 arv^nse) grows freely, 

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

 the corn-field madder (Sherardm arv^nsis), the corn-field gromwell (Pithosp^rmum 

 arvense), and the salad lamb's lettuce ( Valerianella 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 (Pkmium purpureum) ; the shepherd's purse 

 (Caps^lla bur^a pastoris). If the parsley piert {Alchemilla A'phanes) is found, the soil 

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

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

 (5en^cio Jacobee^a), and the cornfield cirsium (Cirsium arvense), grow indiscriminately 

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

 muralis) and the annual knawel (Sclerdnthus annuus) grow on soils that are diy, 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. ( Gkilpine's Compendium , Flora Brit. ; Loudon's 

 Hortus Brit. ; Kent's Hints; Farmers' Mag. Feb. 1819; and the Quarterly Journal of 

 Jgric. for Aug. 1828.) 



