258 AROMA TIC HA Y. 



The apparition of the Astrantia major> which resembles an 

 artificial or fancy-created flower, warns us that we are passing 

 beyond the limits of the ordinary flora. I believe that we 

 have no representative in England of that singular umbellifer. 

 The Alpine pastures of the narrow-ridged Mount Caii, which 

 resembles the back of a dromedary, exhale a fragrance like 

 that of the famous Swiss tea, so much extolled as a remedy 

 against cholera. The odour of the hay-lofts attached to the 

 chalets true shepherd's huts which rise at intervals along the 

 back of Mont Dromedary, is so penetrating as to produce 

 headache. The hay owes its aromatic fragrance to the musk- 

 chervil (Myrrhis odorata), whose strong stems form such thick 

 luxuriant pasturages ; to various orchideae, particularly to the 

 Nigritetta suaveolens, remarkable for the intense colour nearly 

 black of its flowers; and finally, to the gentians, whose 

 scent is strongly brought out by drying. 



The rich close sward which borders on the Dent de Jaman 

 provides the herboriser with more than one agreeable surprise. 

 You will be struck by the beauty of the flowery tufts of the 

 Linaria Alpina, rejoicing in a deep sapphire blue. You will 

 also have an opportunity of making acquaintance with a 

 campanula which is abundant on Mont Cenis (Campanula 

 Ccenisia)-, its beautiful terminal flower, of a pale blue, is char- 

 acterised by the long hairs which line the opening of the corolla. 



Among the gentians, those great ornaments of the Alpine 

 pasturages, we shall direct the attention of our readers to 



