28 



THE WOELD OF LIFE 



This table of the distribution of plants in our counties 

 is very instructive, because it shows us the influence of 

 diversity of soils on the number of species that can grow 

 and maintain themselves naturally as wild plants. This is 

 largely dependent on the extreme diversity of the geology of 

 our island, almost every geological formation from the oldest 

 to the most recent being rej^resented in it. This variety of 

 soil seems to be much more important than diversity of sur- 

 face due to altitude, so that our lowland counties are quite 

 as rich as those which are hilly or mountainous. Again, we 

 see that, within moderate limits, greater area has little in- 

 fluence on richness of the flora, the largest. West Yorkshire, 

 having only about one-fifth more species than the smallest, 

 Middlesex, with only about one-twelfth the area. 



The preponderating importance of variety of soil and sur- 

 face conditions affording good stations for plants, such as 

 woods, hedgerows, streams, bogs, etc., is well shown by a few 

 special comparisons that have been made by experienced 

 botanists. 



The Parish of Cadney (Lincolnshire), a little over 3 square 

 miles in area, has 720 species of flowering plants; the county 

 nearly 900 times as large, having 1200. 



The Parish of Edmondsham (in Dorsetshire), covering less 

 than 3 square miles, has 640 species ; the county, 340 times 

 as large, having 1010 species. 



An equally remarkable instance was given by Mr. H. C. 

 Watson fifty years ago, and no doubt from his own observa- 

 tions, as he resided in the countv. 



