2l6 MR. RICHARD ADAMSON's REPORT OF 



On coming to the farmhouse, the lovely scenery of a wide 

 stretch of the Derwent Valley, with a fine view of the woods 

 and lands of the Gibside estate, was revealed. To my mind, 

 " Ye Banks and Braes of Bonny Doon " is quite a tame 

 landscape when compared to this beautiful spot on the 

 Derwent, which only requires a poet of the Scottish plough- 

 man stamp to immortalize it. The picturesqueness of this 

 locality is entirely due, from a geological standpoint, to the 

 copious deposits of glacial drift transported from other regions 

 by the glaciers of the Ice Age. To the same natural causes 

 the diversity and luxuriance of the flora of the Derwent Valley 

 are due. 



The great interest in the afternoon ramble, chiefly of a 

 botanical nature, lay in the lovv^-lying grounds or haughs near 

 the stream. On account of the cold and backward season, 

 many of the plants usually in bloom in spring and early 

 summer were still in full bloom, while plants generally flower- 

 ing during the month of July were still in an early stage of 

 growth. Of the numerous plants in flower perhaps the most 

 remarkable was the patch of pure white Milkwort {Polygala 

 vulgaris) which is seldom met with in white petals (the usual 

 colour being blue or purple, and now and then pink as it grows 

 in Chopwell Woods). The Foxgloves (or better, according to 

 their older designation, Folksgloves) were in showy purple 

 masses on the earlier portions of their spikes. As a medicinal 

 plant the Foxglove is at present in great demand, owing to the 

 stoppage of the supplies of its leaves (which contain the stores of 

 digitalis) from the central countries of Europe. Happily there 

 is already a large acreage of this useful plant under cultivation 

 on our drug farms, to meet the requirements which otherwise 

 would in time bring about its annihilation. As a cardiac 

 tonic it is unsurpassed in the vegetable kingdom. 

 . The rJaliums, or Bedstravvs, viz. : — 



Marsh Galium, Galium paltistre. 



Hedge .. ., I\Iolliigo. 



Crosswoit daliiim, ., criiciatuiii. 



Heath ,, ., saxatile. 



Cross-leaved ., ,, boreale. 



