. The earth and its inhabitants ... tream, andhence they are most numerous on the Hebrides, the Orkneys, and the ShetlandIslands, where they outnumber European species. Climate has exercised a paramount influence upon the distribution of British 24 THE BKITISH ISLES. plants. The cool summer prevents the ripening of many fruits which flourish incountries having a far lower mean annual temperature, whilst the mildness of winterhas rendered it possible to naturalise many plants of southern climes, which the coldwinter of the north of Continental Europe would kill. Apricots, peaches, and grapesonl
. The earth and its inhabitants ... tream, andhence they are most numerous on the Hebrides, the Orkneys, and the ShetlandIslands, where they outnumber European species. Climate has exercised a paramount influence upon the distribution of British 24 THE BKITISH ISLES. plants. The cool summer prevents the ripening of many fruits which flourish incountries having a far lower mean annual temperature, whilst the mildness of winterhas rendered it possible to naturalise many plants of southern climes, which the coldwinter of the north of Continental Europe would kill. Apricots, peaches, and grapesonly ripen, with rare exceptions, when afibrded the shelter of a wall ; yet myrtlesand other evergreens flourish in the open air, and the strawberry-tree {Arbutusunedo), with its rich foliage and red berries, forms a charming feature in thewoods of Killarney. Many exotics, including even natives of the tropics, havebeen successfully introduced, and add to the beauty of pleasure grounds and Fig. U.—Yuccas on Tresco (Soillï Islands).. parks. Cacti grow in the rocks near Torquay ; the American aloe flourishes inSalcombe Bay ; magnolias from South America, proteas from the Cape, andcamellias from Japan, are successfully cultivated ; and on Tresco, one of the ScillyIslands, we meet with a fine avenue of yuccas. But ornamental plants are notthe only exotics, for most of the bread corns, including wheat, barley, and rye ;the potato : much of the produce of the kitchen gardens ; and many other plantsnow widely cultivated, have been derived from other and warmer climates. In Roman and Saxon times a considerable part of the country was coveredwith forests, formed, as now, of oaks and beeches, birches and Scotch firs, FLORA. 25 almost to the exclusion of other trees. Most of these forests have either whollydisappeared, or have been considerably reduced in size. Extensive woods survivehowever, in portions of Scotland and England, the most famous beino- the NewEorest in Hampshire, Dean Fore
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectgeography, bookyear18
