CHAPTER XVIII 

 IN WILD SWISS GARDENS 



I HAVE been for a short three weeks in the 

 Bernese Oberland, dividing the time between 

 Thun, St Beattenberg, Grindelwald, and Miirren. 

 Of these places and the glorious scenery I shall 

 say nothing ; it is of the flowers that I wish to 

 speak, and with a special object. 



Before I left England I was told by many 

 friends that September was much too late for the 

 Alpine flowers ; but I did not fully believe this, 

 for I had had a former pleasant experience that 

 there was much to see and admire in the Alpine 

 flora of August, and I felt sure that I should not 

 find September all barren. Of course, I did not 

 expect to see the flowers of May and June ; I 

 could not hope for primulas, or even for some of 

 the gentians ; but I went in the full faith that 

 there was a goodly autumnal flora, and I have 

 not been disappointed. 



As soon as we entered the Jura and had left 

 the dreary plain of France behind us, we were at 

 once greeted by Astrantia major and the rich 

 blue flowers of Mulgedium Alpinum, both grow- 

 ing close to the railway, and as we got amongst 



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