166 WILD FLOWERS OF SCOTLAND 



white. Looking over the face of the hill from 

 where I lie, I can see several distinct shades, some 

 much lighter than the rest. Near the sea the 

 bleaching is still more pronounced. On coast 

 moors I have gathered the fine-leaved heather, 

 with its larger flowers and more decided colour, 

 from purple, through crimson and pink, to purest 

 white. The reasons why ling yields a greater and 

 more certain harvest are probably that it is nearer 

 white, to begin with ; and also that, so far as the 

 hills are concerned, it grows, as we shall see 

 directly, in more exposed situations. 



It seems a somewhat strange whim that wishes 

 pink heather to be white when there are so many 

 white flowers about. It is the taste, less of a 

 naturalist than a gardener. I understand that a 

 prize has been offered for a blue rose. Were the 

 ling white, there would be the same rush after 

 pink or any other curiosity. 



I know several lethargic folk who would not 

 climb a dozen yards for all that nature has to 

 offer, and yet think no labour thrown away 

 in the search for something abnormal. I have 

 seen the precious sprig carefully unwrapped, and 

 displayed as the chief outcome of a month in 

 the Highlands. 



