126 
Farming  of  Gloucestershire. 
tions,  it  is  still  necessary  to  have  analyses  of  the  ashes  of  a 
number  of  our  native  plants,  but  in  the  mean  time  it  is  desirable 
to  multiply  observations  on  their  distribution  and  range,  since  the 
information  which  already  exists  is  very  unsatisfactory,  few 
botanists  taking  the  trouble  to  notice  the  soil  or  even  the  precise 
locality  of  the  plants  they  collect  and  catalogue. 
The  Flora  of  Gloucestershire  consists  almost  entirely  of  those 
plants  which  characterize  the  agricultural  regions  of  Central 
England  and  Germany  ; the  highest  hills  in  the  county  ranging 
only  from  800  to  1100  feet,  we  find  on  them  no  traces  of  northern 
vegetation,  although  a few  species  (like  the  Pyrolas)  do  not 
extend  further  south,  and  the  rocky  districts  are  favourable  to  the 
growth  of  several  ferns  not  found  in  the  eastern  counties.  Plants 
of  southern  origin  are  also  scarce  in  the  centre  of  the  county,  but 
become  more  apparent  towards  Bristol ; such  are 
Briza  minor.  Rubra  peregrina.  Lavatera  arborea. 
Linaria  elatine.  Scilla  autumnalis.  Paeonia  corallina. 
Monotropa  bypopitys. 
The  two  last  grow  on  the  Severn  Islands,  beyond  the  limits  of  this 
county. 
Much  more  obvious  is  the  grouping  of  the  native  plants 
depending  upon  soil ; all  are  supposed  to  have  originally  migrated 
from  the  East,  but  those  which  required  a calcareous  soil  have 
been  arrested  along  the  escarpment  of  the  Cotswolds,  a boundary 
which  many  of  them  nowhere  pass.  Here  are  found  nearly  all 
the  characteristic  plants  of  the  chalk  downs  of  Kent  and  Wilts,  as 
the  following  list  will  show  : — 
*Clematis  vitalba. 
Anemone  pulsatilla. 
•Aquilegia  vulgaris. 
Thraspi  perfoliatum. 
* Reseda  lutea  and  luteola. 
•Helianthemum  vulgare. 
•Polygala  vulgaris. 
*Linum  catliarticum. 
•Anthyllis  vulneraria. 
Astragalus  bypoglottis. 
*Hippocrepis  comosa. 
* Lathyrus  aphaca. 
*Onobrychis  sativa  (culti- 
vated). 
*Prunus  cerasus. 
•Spiraea  filipendula. 
•Poterium  sanguisorba. 
*Pyrus  aria. 
Sison  amomum. 
Pastinaca  sativa  (wild). 
* Daucus  carota  (wild). 
•Viburnum  lanlana. 
•Asperula  cynanchica. 
•Scabiosa  columbaria. 
Carduus  eriophorus. 
• acaulis, 
Petasites  vulgaris. 
Tussilago  farfara. 
Campanula  glomerata. 
Phyteuma  orbiculare. 
Gentiana  amarella. 
Chlora  perfoliata. 
Origanum  vulgare. 
Galeopsis  ladanum. 
Fagus  sylvatica. 
Juniperis  communis. 
Taxus  baccata. 
Epipactis  grandifiora  and 
latifolia. 
Orcbis  pyramidalis. 
mascula. 
Ophrvs  musifera  and  api- 
t'era. 
Convallariapolygonatum. 
Carex  digitata. 
Avena  pubescens. 
Bromus  erectus  and  pin- 
natus. 
Polypodium  calcareum. 
Note. — The  species  marked  with  an  asterisk  (•)  are  abundant  on  the  chalk  downs. 
It  is  also  worthy  of  remark  that  several  native  land-snails 
abound  equally  on  the  chalk  downs  and  Cotswolds. 
Helix  virgata  and  lapicida.  Bulimus  laclirymensis. 
pomatia.  Pupa  juniperi. 
