PHENOMENON OF THE BATTLEFIELD.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16520, 12 May 1919, Page 4

PHENOMENON OF THE BATTLEFIELD.

.. —;— LONG-BURIED SEEDS BEGIN TO BLOOM. The broken battlefields of France are yielding a strange phenomenon (says the London "Daily Mail" of March IGtli). Flowers, not known within living memory, are breaking out on the scarred surface and in shell-holes and dug-outs. Three of these flowers of strange species were seen by tin old peasant going home for his mid-dny meal, and botanists have since become interested in the discovery, which, it is believed, have sprung-from seeds buried in the depths of the earth for decades past. A well-known , botanist in London, discussing tiie phenomenon, eaid: "There is evidence that seeds may bo buried for a lar&e of years awaiting the time of germination. It is "known that seeds have been buried for upwards of 60 years without losing their power of germination. It has been argued that seeds of corn and wheat buried with Egyptian mummies thousands- of years ago have been planted out in the 20tli century and have germinated in the ordinary way. It is quite possible that strange flowering plants—that i 9 strange to the local inhabitants—are now flowering in the French battlefields. The heavv shell-fire which has torn up tho earth may have created conditions for their growth after laying dormant so lone. Botanists evervwbere are watfhin" with interest the botanical results of ■Um \ipheaval in France, tfie new condition of the soil, and the possible fut'ive vegetation of the district". Dr. "Winifred Brenchlev, of Rot.hnmsted Experimental Station, Harpenden, is now conducting special researches into this very matter."

SPRING ON THE SOMME.' Nature, too, is having her way with the most devastated areas in the Somme battlefields. Even Delvillo Wcod—that place of terrible memory— is changing. "I have just visited this placc again" (writes a correspondent). "Long before we got there we could see that a great change had conic over the whole region. Something intangible and yet intensely real. It took some puzzling out till one could sec what had happened. Afterwards oneVcaliscd that it was the dreadful, debasing silence that had altered. Before it was the silence of midnight, now it was the hush before the dawn. The horrible grey of the !ong hills had changed to a i'aint green with the approach of spring. In High Wood manj- of the stumps were actually budding. It was fascinating this gradual inanimation of Nature, which no pest can kill. Mvorvthing was quiet, yet vaguely you felt that everything was intensely busy, growing. In a broken, onewheeled gun-carriage, too far gone years ago to serve aB a trophy, or even lor the Salvage Corps to worry about, a little bird had commenced to build its nest. It watchd us from a ragged lump of concrete near by, as wo stood near, waiting for us to pass rather impatiently. so that it could get on with its work. The Somme battlefield region is very busy nowadays, though the inhabitants have not vet gone back."

Next month a great review of Scotch tjoops who fought in the war will be held in the King's Park, Edinburgh. It is hoped that a member of the Royal fimily will take the salute at tho march past, and, naturally enough, all hopes centre on King Goorge being able to do this. Afterwards, it is suggested, representatives of the officers, non-com-missioned officers, i-nd men. of tho Scottish Army should bo thanked publicly in tho Usher Hall, one of Edinburgh's most palatial buildings. The same kind of review will proba hly be held for ]WeLslf troops at Cardiff.