I lO 



Gaut : Botanical Siii-vey of a Pasture. 



stand being just outside the driest conditions in which R. repens 

 is the dominant form of RaiuiTiculus. 



(2) That the dryness or wetness of situation cannot be the 

 ruUng- factor governing its distribution, these conditions being- 

 too much opposed to one another. The explanation must hence 

 be sought for in some other direction. 



(3) Now, Cynosiiriis is not an important constituent of fertile 

 banks and fields, simply because the materials giving the soil 

 the necessary physical and fertile characters are in that pro- 

 portion, and drainage is so efficient that the conditions are 

 satisfied which encourage the growth of w^hat is called the 

 ' finer' herbage, resulting in the exclusion of the ' poorer' kinds. 

 In short, Cynosurus is a grass characteristic of poor soil. As 

 an indicator plant in a botanical survey Cyiiosurzts would thus 

 only point to a poor soil, and could not be relied upon as giving 

 any information as to dryness or wetness of the soil. In its 

 mode of growth it is suited to form a close sward and forms 

 pastures both on sandy alluvium (e.g., of the river Skell, near 

 Ripon) and on heavy land (e.g., near Selby), while it is also an 

 abundant grass in the limestone pastures of Craven. Like many 

 other plants of poor soils its power of adaptation appears to be 

 considerable, and in botanical survey this biological property will 

 have to be reckoned with. 



What then is the link connecting the dry bank, the dry field 

 and the wet field as habitats of Cyiwsuriis? Clearly it is in 

 the main due to the absence of the luxuriant species, and the 

 presence of these is chiefly determinable by soil constitution. 

 Over our area the soil must then be described as 'poor,' the 

 poorness being, however, largely due, not to excessive move- 

 ment of water, as in the case of the dry bank, but to inefficient 

 percolation of water owing to the low elevation of the land and 

 to the impervious nature of the underlying strata. 



The next area, that of the grass slope with northern 

 exposure, differs from the Cyiiosiinis region in being' covered 

 with taller grasses. The following are the chief species : — 



DO>nXAN'T AND SOCIAL. SlB DOMINANT AND SOCIAL, 



Deschaiiips!(( ( A/'rct ) Ciei.pitosa . Poa pra/oisis. 



Holciis laiiafiis. Pta in'vialis. 



Alopeciinis praloisis. Fcstuca prafoisis. 



Scattered. 



Poteri 11)11 offici iialc. Galitoii saxa/ile, 



Stachys Betonica. Latliyi-us i))0)ita)ius. 



Scahiosa siiccisa. P/n/icx ^Icetosa. 



CcntaiDva )iig)-a. ' ' '-^ 



.^V///<f y^.s7a//i- as a tVing'e along" the southern edg-e.^ . • 



Naturalist, 



