148 ALPINE FLOWERS AND GARDENS 



of white and yellow flowers to those which are red, 

 blue, and mauve, is less in the Alps than in the 

 plains. It is a theory which has been put forward 

 both by Dr. Percy Groom and Mr. H. Stuart 

 Thompson, and it is one which is perhaps debatable. 

 Mr. Thompson holds that blues, reds, and purples, 

 are not only more abundant in quantity in the Alps 

 than in the plains, but also, though possibly to a 

 less extent, in species ; and he cites the Gentians 

 and Campanulas as example. Now I do think 

 that the gardens can throw some light upon this 

 matter, at any rate with regard to the question of 

 species ; with regard to quantity, of course, we 

 must appeal to the wild slopes, rocks, and pastures. 

 My own experience is that, at all events in spring, 

 these Alpine rock-gardens show a striking abun- 

 dance of white, cream, and yellow flowers, whereas 

 there is but a goodly number of red and mauve 

 flowers, and comparatively few that are blue. 

 That is in the Spring. Later, it is true, the blue 

 flowers increase considerably: and yet, white and 

 cream and yellow blossoms seem to continue to 

 hold their own. Mr. Thompson instances the 

 large tribe of Campanulas and Gentians as an 

 argument for the existence of a preponderance of 

 blue. But against these may be set almost the 



