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THE CLIFFS AND SEA-SHOEE. 



nnHE summer sun brings out the sea-side flowers in 

 profusion. The visitor will find the strange 

 vegetation full of beauty. Many have a curious re- 

 semblance to the inland flowers, but the majority 

 will be strangers to him. One could hardly fail to 

 recognize the Sea-Kale (Crambe maritima) when it 

 sends its white cross-shaped blossom to salute the sun 

 of June, its large, curled, rich-coloured foliage vary- 

 ing from light purple to deep plum-colour, relieved 

 occasionally by the most delicate sea-green hue. It is 

 common in the west of England, and sometimes it is 

 blanched in the sand and eaten. 



The sea-side Bladder Campion (Silene maritima) 

 will also be familiar, though its stalk is short, and the 

 grey green leaves much smaller than its inland relative. 

 The flower is of the old form, and springs from the 

 swelled seed-cup, marked with purple streaks, which 

 has given it its name. The flowers grow singly on the 

 stem, and are frequent amongst the pebbles of many 

 of our beaches. On the east qoast, where the shore is 



