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Hort. Journal vol I. p. 45 "Dr. Herbert on the Local Habitation of plants" 22 Bis

[William Herbert. 1846. Local habitation and wants of plants. Journal of the horticultural society, vol. 1: 44-49.]

p. 46 Orchis Monorchis in England on chalk & stonebrash banks - met with in reed-beds of edge lake of Brienz - saw one vigorous plant of O. militaris, reported in England only to grow on chalk banks in the same marsh

p 48 Polygala vulgaris, according to Babington on dry pastures with white, blue & red flowers, - Dr. H saw it in alluvial & very moist meadows near sea at Zante & near Trieste most vigorously greater heat allows it to endure more water than with us.

[in margin:] Because change greater?

p. 46 plants wh are found only in particular situations improve under cultivation & thinks more so than the widely dispersed plants. Concludes from former case that particular soils or subsoils are not necessary - & that they succeed because more dangerous rivals are extirpated. "in truth weaker plants are often

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Sterility Ch. 3. (Allude to this)

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peculiar (in state of nature) to those soils which are not best for them, but where they can exist because other enemies cannot grow to choke them"

(what an argument against perfect adaptation)

p. 46 Crocus variegatus on bare mountains, with most meagre grass near Trieste, but small proportion of bulbs bear flowers & still fewer seed. (sterility from want of food)

Crocuses in Ionian isld & other places grow in same sterile situation but only flower & fruit sparingly. Yet crocuses transported from calcareous mountains into gardens & severed from native soil acquire tenfold vigour & size of bulb - The dutch raise bulbs of various kinds in rich though well decayed earth - & without any calcareous matter.

p.47 Concludes "that on the chalk & other calcareous rocks there are places where few other vegetables can exist, while the bulbs of crocuses & a few other genera take refuge there & get a poor livelihood in peace & quiet."

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22 Bis

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p 47. Saw a crocus, Sternebergia & Ornithogalum growing in contact on M. Œnos but the second had not a seed-pod & the Corms very few.

"but they would rejoice in a better soil, if protected against the oppressor."

p 48 "the power of endurance in each successive grade of inferior infertility must finally determine which (a) shall be the occupants, though the question of endurance will turn upon various points," as light heat moisture denseness of atmosphere or soil.

Hence the struggle (word often used by H.) is rather which can endure most of a certain class of evils (as no soil is perfect, & there are enemies) rather than which is best adapted to certain conditions.)

p 48 "The first step in cultivation is the use of the extirpator of intrusive vegetables"

the 2d step is to relieve it from the necessity of the endurance in the wild state of want or excess of heat or moisture, as far as injurious to it - the Orchis latifolia removed from the swamp in which it struggles with other swamp-plants, will grow more vigorously when it is cultivated with less wet."

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(a) But then in piece of best soil, what determines which plant shall live; can hardly be said to endure it here must come in vigour of growth & number of seeds, permanence of growth &c. Why these vigorous species do not spread over whole country, must be owing to endurance - no doubt even in best soils something injurious, yet can hardly be said to endure