180 On the Species of the Genus Primula in Essex.
hilly pasture on the left of the road from Bishops Stortford
to Takeley, between the two-mile stone and Thremhall
Priory." Doubtless other localities of a similar nature might
be discovered. I have, however, only met with one locality
near Saffron Walden (that is, at the N.W. end of the elatior
district), or indeed within ten miles of that place, where the
plant may be described as growing naturally in the open.
On April 19th, 1882, I saw it sparingly in a small sloping
swampy pasture between two small woods, in which it grew
plentifully, just on the edge of Debden Park. The one
locality which differs in nature from all the rest I met with
on the 3rd of the same month, when I saw it growing
sparingly in a dry pasture close to "The Boos," near Walden,
but I learnt on enquiry that this spot had been a wood within
comparatively a few years. There this species grew inter-
mixed with a profusion of Cowslips, but, though I searched
diligently, I could see no trace of any intermediate forms.
I have also searched for hybrids in the localities mentioned
above, where the Cowslip occupies the higher and drier parts
of the meadows, and generally mingles a little with the
Oxlip on the edge of the lower and moister part, but I have
never seen the least trace of hybrids between the two in such
spots. I have never seen any varieties or monstrosities of
P. elatior when growing in the open. In this case the plants
are generally small, each producing one, or perhaps two short
flower-stalks, only about four inches high, bearing small
umbels of only four or five flowers each.
As I have already said (and as will be seen from the list of
localities previously given) woods are, in this country, the
usual habitat of P. elatior. It makes, however, all the
difference in the world to the plants whether the wood be
thickly grown up or freshly cut down. In the former case
the plants, though generally of good size, comparatively
seldom produce flowers, and then only in small umbels.
A person walking through such a wood ill spring would
certainly not think the Oxlip an unusually abundant plant.
It is, however, the fate of most woods to be cut down every
fifteen years or so. This is accomplished in the winter, and