SWISS WILD FLOWERS WOOD 513 



blooms from August to October, being distinctly an autumnal 

 species. It prefers Alpine pastures and hillsides up to 8,000 feet, 

 and is especially fond of shade and a soil of limestone detritus. 



Few subjects in local natural history have produced a more exten- 

 sive literature, in English, French, and German, both popular and 

 systematic, than Alpine plant life. Both the tourist and the ama- 

 teur botanist are confronted by a small library of works when either 

 proposes seriously to pursue this fascinating study. The English 

 reader will, however, find that two well-illustrated volumes of H. 

 Stuart Thompson cover the ground fairly v/ell. Tliese are "Alpine 

 Plants of Europe," 287 pp., 64 colored plates, London, 1911 ; and 

 " Sub-Alpine Plants ; or Flowers of the Swiss Woods and Meadows," 

 325 pp., 33 colored plates, London, 1912. 



To these might be added an excellent English translation of a 

 book by Correvon and Robert, " The Alpine Flora," 436 pp., 180 

 water colors, Geneva; and another but smaller work by L. and C. 

 Schroter, " Coloured Vade-Mecum to the Alpine Flora," 217 colored 

 and plain drawings, 21st edition, Zurich. 



In the preparation of this paper the writer has had the assistance 

 of Miss Marjorie Fyfe, Mrs. Howard Wilson, and Mrs. Constance 

 Domvile. These ladies spent many days (from April to September, 

 1930) exploring the wooded heights, mountain meadows, hilly slopes, 

 and natural rock gardens of Lucerne and Schwyz, searching for 

 botanical specimens. The result is an amateur herbarium showing 

 several hundred species of wild flowers, which has been a decided 

 help toward an appreciation of the abundant flora of at least two 

 delectable Forest Cantons. 



