1 62 Brenchley . — - 77 ^ Weeds of Arable Land . III. 
Rumex Acetosella ‘ add ’ sandy soil 
„ crispus distributed 
„ obtusifolius sandy soil 
These records agree in most respects with those obtained in the West 
Country in 1911, except in that certain plants seem rather more varied 
in their distribution in Norfolk. 
In contradistinction to the above, the genus Veronica with all its 
different species is typically characteristic of the sandy and light soils, 
V. Tournefortii being the only one that is found to any extent on heavy land. 
3. In one district, round Swaffham and Narborough, certain fields 
were observed to carry a flora composed of the most curious mixture of 
plants. Species usually associated with chalky land were found growing 
side by side with others characteristic of sandy soils, and even of ‘ acid ’ 
soils. In one case a field that used to be cultivated had been left for several 
years untouched, and in it were found, among other plants, Poterium 
Sanguisorba , Anthyllis Vulneraria , and Reseda lute a, all calcicolous plants, 
together with Rumex Acetosella , a decided calcifuge. 
In another instance, Reseda lute a , Linaria vulgaris , Centaur e a 
Scabiosa, with other less distinctive chalk plants, were found plentifully in 
a very sandy field in which Scleranthus annuus occurred and in which 
Spergula arvensis was dominant. 
These sandy soils were evidently very shallow, overlying a chalk sub- 
soil, and the possible explanation presents itself that the differences in the 
root systems of the plants may account for the apparent anomaly. From 
a cursory examination it appears as if most of the acid species found are 
relatively shallow rooted, and so are able to flourish in the sandy surface 
layers of soil, while the chalk plants are provided with larger roots and so 
find it possible to strike right through the unfavourable strata and to draw 
on the underlying stores of chalk for their nutriment. This supposition 
with regard to the relative lengths of the roots needs far more confirmation 
before it can be accepted as proved. 
4. At least four varieties of the Mayweeds occurred in the Norfolk 
fields. Of these, Matricaria inodora was the only species that was found 
distributed on all kinds of soils, heavy as well as light, the others being 
practically confined to the lighter lands. Anthemis Cotida was generally 
a denizen of loams, Anthemis arvensis of sandy soils and chalk, while 
Matricaria Chamomilla reserved itself for either sand or heavy loam. 
Once again the Mayweeds proved to be very impatient of competition, as 
not only were they rarely to be found in among the crops, but only at the 
edges and in open spaces, but also they were universally absent from root 
crops, where the additional factor of cultivation has to be competed with. 
5. A very striking feature of the sandy soils in Norfolk is the presence 
