4i8 Wood III ffc- Pi'inock : Floral Competition unit Cycles. 



competition of pasture or over j^-rowth by ranipHiil species iit 

 woods and hedtjes, unless they act as protectors. It has there- 

 fore with us become a broken {ground species, preferring- a fairly 

 rich and open soil, and ding's for this purpose to the neig"hbour- 

 hood of human habitations, where the scythe — no species known, 

 to me recovers more quickly after it has been cut down -and 

 tramplinj^- teet of children prepare for it a fittini^ abiding- place. 

 Now, we are informed that it is a ' native in woods and forests, 

 from Spain and Morocco to- Siberia and Himalayas.' Then 

 Great Britain is clearly within its area of ransje ; ' woods and 

 forests,' how-ever, imply whole cycles of conditions most be- 

 wildering to the true student, according to peculiarities of soil, 

 moisture, elevation, exposure, and 'openness.' So much is this 

 the case, that we are just as wise as we were before we possessed 

 this valuable information. 



We cannot put the cart before the horse, but we can form 

 some judgment on the question of the nativeness of L. album 

 from the place this species takes in our own floral cycles. It is 

 only thrust aside on its proper soils by (i) heavy stocking, and 

 by (2) the competition of more adaptable species, better fitted 

 to battle with the luxuriance our climate brings. This is simply 

 proved. In England it is much more of a dry eastern counties' 

 species, than of a damp western one ; also by the way it clings 

 to escarpments in broken, open, wooded ground, where there is 

 naturally a dry soil, on which from the inclination a deep root 

 soil cannot accumulate to attract stronger growing competitors. 



On light gravelly soils, too, this species is found in the oldest 

 and closest pasture, under certain circumstances. Where there 

 are beds of nettles, which are only mown irregularly, or at most 

 once annually, L. album is sure to take possession of them along 

 with Stellaria media., and a few other species. When the iirtica 

 is destroyed by constant mowing the Lamiiim goes too. It can- 

 not compete with the stock and turf unthout its protectors' aid. 



Man acts as a disturber of the floral cycles of nature, as a 

 clearer and mover of the ground, as an interrupter of competition,, 

 as a finder of elbow room for annuals, biennials, and the less 

 powerful perennials. Directly or indirectly his influence is felt 

 in many other w-ays as a modifying force. Some have hardly 

 been fully appreciated yet. The one special manner in which 

 every human being, by his actions or throug-h his wants, in- 

 fluences plant life, is as an aider and abbettor of the weaklings 

 of our flora in their struggle for existence. This may be a 

 strange conclusion to reach, hut it is founded on the most 



Naturalist. 



