Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1889-12-04
THE FLOWER GARDEN.
ALPINE FLOWERS.

ALPINE fLOWEhs-
Among the many charms which Switz-
erland offers to the tourist in summer,
one of the greatest perhaps, Is the
variety of flowers to be found both in
the valley and the high pasture. With
out going beyond the beaten route of
the pedestrian, the bright flowers which
adorn the meadows and clothe the
mountain sides, not only enhance the
beauty of the scenery, but offer great
attractions TO the lovers of nature.
On the well-trodden paths of the Ber-
nese Oberland q great variety of flowers
may be found, some specimens being
entirely unknown in England.
In a talk on the flowers of SwitZer-
land accessible to every one, the far
famed Alpine rose seems to claim the
first attention. Coming down from the
Wengern Alps in the direction of Grin
delwald on a lovely July morning under
a cloudless sky. the sight of the sloping
pastures thickly covered with the low
shrubs of the Rhododendron hirsutum
is a sight never to be forgotten. The
glorious background formed by those
gigantic mountains which bound the
valley on one side with their precipitous
grey rocks and peaks capped with
eternal snow contrasted well with the
DTlRut pllih uoNtAS bAONAAb ia bAc bAiA-
liant sunshine.
In summer the mountain sides are
quite carpeted with thesc beautiful
rose-colored tiowery plants, with their
bright myrtle-green leaves and are
amongst the loveliest ado uments of the
Alps. The Alpine Rose Is so associated
with mountainous dis lets that -
Swiss peasants are most as mt, .
affected by the sight OF them, as they
are on hearing the >JInds of the Rang
des Vaches.
Another beautiful flower which grows
abundantly in the Alpine pastures, Is
the Astrantia major. or as the Swiss
call II the Crosse Sterndolde. The
fiorets are delicate whitey-green in
color, sometimes also a delicate violet
tipped with deeper green, the under
sldes are so tenderly marked, as TO look
almost like a tiny green leaf lying on a
larger white leaf. The stamens are
very numerous and of violet color,
and the anthers shoot out smaller and
shorter stamens. The abundance of
these stamens, massed together in the
center of the fiurets, produces a feath
cry appearance, and is very striking.
Winding round one of the mountains
near Andermatt, and gradually V ascend
ing glacier can be reached where there
Is quite a nest of the cotton plant, v III
large soft. and satin like heads The
cotton plant is almost invariably found
in high marshy pastures In that
region also you are sure To come across
the Grass of Parnassus, which grows IN
such profusion in Switzerland The
cream -colored flowers are delicately
and beautifully veined; the cerolla has
curious appearance from the fan
shaped scales, which are priced with
white hairs. and lie around the centre.
these are the nectaries; and yellow WAX
like glands terminate each tip
Then too in marshy ground on the
high elevations of the alpine pastures
the lovely blue gentians spring up on
top of the Furca Pass, where the cold
is so intense that no trees can grow, the
ground IN some parts Is quite blue with
these lovely flowers. Directly the snow
has melted, the gentIan raises its beau
tiful head.
Perched on a high rock by the side
in tie full blaze of sunshine stands
erect the Alpine aster or starwort; their
light violet petals with the feathery yell
low centres looking very pretty with
the sun cleaning above them
The pole lilac flowers of tine ivy
leaved wadfia1 creep lovingly over the
old stone walls, enhvening the dull grey
of the stone; here too Is to be found the
LInari Alpine with the linear leaves
growing thickly up the stalk. and deep
purple-colored flowers shaped some
thing like the snapdragon but spurred
Mt the base.
Though so common the yellow noun
tain violet Is very pretty, with its pale
yellow flowers growing singly on angu-
lar stems. This flower grows abund-
antly on the mountain pasture, and is
very variable in its size. Some of the
are of rich purple color.
The little blossoms of the common
eyebright are sprinkled over the sides
OF the chalky cliffs, or studded over the
short grass of mountains or open plains
or hidden among the taller herbage of
the pasture lands.
And then, leaving the lower Alps and
ascending higher, even higher, till the
white snow dazzles the eye as 1t wraps
the majestic mountains with the pure
mantle of eternal whiteness, edelweiss,
the most precious OF all the flowers OF
Switzerland, because most difficult TO
find, pushes its white and woody head
the snow, and seems to rejoice
in the stiffness and beauty of the sur
rounding scenery. This plant seems to
lose half its beauty when uProoted from
its native soil and transplanted to an
English soil, but in spite of this it has
been deemed necessary by the Swiss
to place a notice up for
bidding anyone to uproot the edelweiss.
which bids fair to become extinct if no
hand is laid on the ruthless
tourist.
There are many other flowers TO be
found in Switzerland, but let US leave
them now as We have ascended to the
snowy heights to gather the flowers so
dear to all Swiss hearts, the sight of
which must ever recall the snowy
regions where it grows.