Io8 DR. J. \V. HESLOP HARRISON ON 



The Water Meadows and the Raihvay Sides. 



Leaving the Trollins " Bog" we pass into the first reclaimed 

 portion, now utilised as a pasture ; consequently, many marsh 

 plants are suppressed by the grazing cattle, which would have 

 survived in spite of the drainage. One clayey patch still 

 remains excessively wet, and this allows the development of 

 that form of Juncetum typical of badly drained pastures. 

 Very little worthy of note occurs except Vefo/iica scutellata 

 not hitherto met with, but, nevertheless, Senecio aquattea, con- 

 trary to what obtains in the Trollius Marsh is abundant ; 

 further, Glyceria fliiitans and Alopecurus geniculatus are 

 common. In the hedge near by an extremely interesting 

 rose, very close to type Rosa Sherardi, finds a home. 



Crossing the beck, we reach the main chain of fertile water 

 meadows which, by virtue of their rich alluvial soil, yield 

 great crops of hay. They contain all the usual grasses and 

 other, plants of a rich damp meadow which there is no necessity 

 to enumerate. Still, one must not omit to mention the 

 extraordinary sight presented by these when various plants are 

 in flower. At one time, they appear a rich blaze of gold from 

 the crowds of Marsh Marigolds in the furrows, changing to the 

 heliotrope of Cuckoo-flowers, in its turn to be overpowered by 

 the yellow and purple of Cowslips and the early Purple 

 Orchis, the latter, however, varying from white, through salmon 

 and pink to purple. 



Cutting the water meadows into two divisions, is the railway 

 embankment yielding crowds of interesting casuals of which 

 the following are singled out to mention : — 



Papaver hybridum Campanula Medium 



Reseda lutea Medicago sativa 



Reseda luteola Rubus caesius 



Centaurea scabiosa Daucus carota 



Senecio viscosus Bromus arvensis 



The Osier Bed. 



Immediately to the east of the railway the " Willow Garth" 

 lies in a roughly rectangular depression. Formerly, before the 



