148 F. E. Fritsch and Winifred M. Parker. 
THE HEATH ASSOCIATION ON HINDHEAD COMMON. 
BY 
F. E. Fritsch, D.Sc., Ph.D., 
Professor of Botany , East London College (University of London), 
AND 
Winifred M. Parker, B.Sc., 
Demonstrator in Botany , East London College (University of London). 
[With Plate V and Four Figures in the Text]. 
| JHE following paragraphs give a brief account of an investi¬ 
gation into the heath vegetation on Hindhead Common, 
which is being carried out by the staff and students of the Botanical 
Department of the East London College. Although the investigation 
is at present only in a preliminary stage, it is hoped that a short 
account of what has been done may be of interest. The area 
concerned lies to the right of the road leading from Hindhead to 
Guildford ( i.e ., on the side opposite to that on which the famous 
“ Punch Bowl ” is situated); it is well suited for the purposes of 
such an investigation, as it is traversed only by a few paths and is 
very little frequented. The area has been visited annually in July 
and, in the present year, also in January and April. Our aim for 
the present has been chiefly to map a representative portion of the 
vegetation and to commence studies on the re-colonisation of new 
ground. 
The area is situated on the Hythe beds of the Lower Green¬ 
sand. Soil borings show that beneath a surface layer of peat 
varying from 1^ to 3 in. in thickness there ordinarily lies a layer of 
dark (rather peaty) sand (4 to 5 in.) and then a stratum of fine 
light-coloured sand (5 to 6 in.); at some points this lower stratum 
is rather stony. There are indications that the character of the 
soil (especially as regards its degree of coarseness) varies some¬ 
what on different parts of the heath, but our investigations on this 
point are at present insufficient. Over a very considerable portion 
of the area an inch or so of the surface of the soil is charred, hard 
and brittle ; it is astonishing how long the soil appears to retain 
this mark of a former fire, which must in some cases be at least 
ten years old. 
