IRISH GARDENING. 



51 



day was spent in getting- throug-h the pre- 

 liminary stages of our climb, and we rested in 

 the mountain Serai tor the night. We gathered 

 dead pine branches to light our fire, but this 

 was no light task, as at this height we were 

 almost above tree life. However, we got the 

 fire going, and soon laid down on some straw 

 which other way- 

 farers had used. 

 Sleep came with 

 pleasure in this 

 keen air, and soon 

 sealed our eves 

 with the aid ot' the 

 glowing fire. 



Early next morn- 

 ing we were awak- 

 ened by another 

 guide w h o h a tl 

 brought up our 

 provisions for tlie 

 day and to help in 

 some of the more 

 difficult climbs. So 

 after breakfast we 

 started in real 

 earnest for Alpine 

 plants. 



We followed the 

 mountain path for 

 some distance, then 

 suddenly made our 

 way along a large 

 ledge, which was 

 a mass of Lilium 

 M a r t a g o n a n l1 

 Gentiana lutea. 

 Along this ledge 

 the fight began. 

 Before us was a 

 large rock which 

 barred our way, 



and atter three-quarters of an hour scaling, rock, I came upon Saxifraga longifolia, and 

 all roped together, we came out on the top very fine specimens they were, some of them 

 ot this huge stone only to find a yet greater being nearly a foot across, growing from the 

 one before us, but beneath its overhanging side of the rock in any place where the ages 



of 



all 



Looking 



nature does know how to plant for glorious 

 effect. 



Just a little further along the rock was a 

 silky ribbon of water dashing down from the 

 snows above. It dropped for 150 feet without 

 interruption, and then dashed on a large pro- 

 jecting stone, and sprayed over the steep rocks 

 below. Being in- 

 --X terested in what 



grew under the 

 influence of this 

 spray I descended 

 by rope and found 

 a mossy-like plant 

 predominating, 

 which might have 

 been Selaginella 

 spinosa. Saxifraga 

 a q u a t i c a was 

 flowering grand 

 where the sunlight 

 was excluded. 

 Parnassia again 

 was strong. Pin- 

 guicula alpina or 

 P- vulgaris was 

 there in thousands, 

 but this meant a 

 wet suit, which 

 would have been a 

 rather uncomfort- 

 able possession, so 

 I left this to its 

 peaceful repose, 

 and returned on 

 my upward tour. 

 After some hard 

 work passing from 

 ledge to ledge, 

 scaling backwards 

 and forwards over 

 the surface of the 



•ROM Lac de C'taibe to 1'oint V'ignemale 



{ Xdte Moraines). 



walls were several things 

 interest. Primula viscosa in 

 splendour studded the sombre 

 ing in long ribbons down 



real, live 



its refined 



'ocks, grow- 



e chinks in 



the rock ; this was a sight which many an 

 Alpine lover would go miles to see, and I 

 stood in silent worship, for methinks that 



had injured the surface. Some of them 

 were in flower, but I cannot say that these 

 came up to many I have seen in cultiva- 

 tion ; but then things are dwarfed up at this 

 height. 



Saxifraga was in evidence on any place which 

 chanced to lodge any falling soil ; also on the 



