NOTES ON 
THE FLORA OF ESKDALE AND WASDALE. 
JOSEPH F.Y PICKARD, 
I was at Boot, South-West Cumberland, towards the latter 
end of August of this year, and found that the flora of the dis- 
trict gave ample room for investigation. The absence of a 
lake in the immediate valley of the River Esk, together with 
some degree of inaccessibility, has had considerable effect in 
checking the rush of tourists to its solitudes, in the season 
when most other portions of the Lake country are besieged with 
visitors. During the nine days I stayed there I noted up- 
wards of three-hundred wild flowers, grasses and ferns in the 
neighbourhood. I examined the country extending from 
the sand dunes at Drigg and Ravenglass across the compara- 
tively flat lands of the Lower Esk and It, and up the windings 
of these rivers to the heart of the hills; Wastwater, the western 
slopes and summit of Scawfell, and the heads of the dales 
themselves ; with observations around the shores of numerous 
small tarns and drying up pools, and their associated bogland, 
situated among the fells. I have consulted principally the 
late Wm. Hodgson’s ‘ Flora of Cumberland,’ as to the compara- 
tive rarity of some of my finds, and have also had access to 
Mr. J. G. Baker’s ‘ Flora of the Lake District.’ 
The’ presence of granite together with the slate in the soil, 
and the harder volcanic ash of the Scawfell heights, assist 
the variety of plant life, while the thorough wildness of most 
of the woodland, in the higher valleys and adjacent becks 
afford shelter for rare species. One of the most important 
plants observed was Vicia Orobus, which is a confirmatory 
record. It is mentioned in the appendix of Hodgson’s Flora 
as having been found some years ago here, by Mr. Harold 
Adair, of Whitehaven, who wrote me in October, 1913, to say 
he was afraid it was an error owing to too hasty examination. 
Y found it in good fruit, and it must be reckoned not only as a 
new divisional record, but one of the rarest plants in the 
north of England, so Mr. Adair is to be congratulated on his 
discovery. 
Another interesting plant is Tilia cordata (parvifolia), 
which was growing practically out of rocks at the foot of Hard- 
knot Pass, and by Whillan Beck near Boot. It is in a flourish- 
ing condition, and looks quite native. It is not recorded in 
Hodgson’s Flora, and Mr. Baker mentions it as a denizen for 
one locality, Borrowdale. 
On the Dunes between Drigg and Seascale, I noticed a 
form of Viola Curtisii in some plenty, probably to be 
Naturalist. 
