344 THE GEIJMAN AECTIO EXPEinTION. 



amongst the dead plants tlie green-white soft leaves of 

 the young shoots, sometimes retaining its blossoms or 

 buds quite fresh in spite of the frost, and, later on, when 

 covered with snow, still remaining unchanged, and with 

 the beginning of the new year, as soon as the warmth has 

 penetrated to its roots, the nine months' interrupted 

 growth continues without any perceptible change in the 

 plant. These interesting circumstances, which one would 

 scarcely expect to meet in the far North, only happens 

 with the mouse-ear chickweed upon favourable spots, as, 

 for instance, on the heights of Walrus Island. Much 

 more distinctly and constantly does it appear with the 

 spoon-wort. This plant, many species of which grow on 

 our German coasts, is pretty general in the far North ; 

 and by old seafarers its green succulent leaves are eaten 

 as a specific against scurvy. If at the present day they 

 have no longer this virtue, as a salad it is both a whole- 

 some and agreeable dish. We scarcely made use of it, 

 partly because it was scarce and partly because we had an 

 abundant supply of preserved vegetables. The spoon- 

 wort we really only found in great quantities during the 

 whole of our journeys, in two places at the end of the 

 peninsula, where the observatory stood, and on the cliffs 

 of Walrus Island. But here it does not seek the damp 

 salt earth as in our country, but the highest parts of these 

 places ; the thick rosette of leaves, either large or small, 

 lying between the stones, often inclosing in its centre the 

 differently-developed, thickly-knotted buds. Thus, whilst 

 the long outer leaves fall a quick sacrifice to the frost, 

 this stout juicy heart braves it valiantly. At a cold 

 of 4° to 9° Fahr. we saw no effect produced upon it ; 

 find, perhaps, this hardy growth could stand still more. 



