SOME SPRING AND SUMMER ALPINES 99 



stamen. A blood-relation, T. adiantifoUum, is a 

 sacred plant in China, and it would scarcely occa- 

 sion any great surprise were some such reverence 

 shown in Switzerland to its Alpine brother. More- 

 over, to use a well-worn phrase — one which breathes, 

 perhaps, no very high philosophy — it is useful as 

 well as beautiful. From its root is extracted a 

 yellow dye, also a medicine employed in cases of 

 jaundice and intermittent fever. Nor ought we 

 to overlook the usefulness of the Rhododendron 

 amongst which this lovely Meadowrue so frequently 

 grows ; for both its leaves and its flowers are effec- 

 tively used against rheumatism — and more or less 

 successfully (according to taste) as an ingredient of 

 Swiss tea ! 



Did space permit, this list could be extended to 

 four or five times its length : for it is astonisliing 

 the number of Alpines which are of economic use. 

 Living as close as he does to Nature, the montagnard 

 of the Swiss Alps knows in remarkable degree the 

 properties of his Alpine flora. Viola calcarata, 

 Adonis vernalis, Saponaria ocymoides^ Tri folium 

 alpinum, Petasites niveiis, Gentiana germanica, 

 several of the Ferns and Orchids, and many other 

 plants, are carefully sought out and harvested by 



13—2 



