THE WHITE ROCKERY 67 



frivolity in some shape. But that contemplated ex- 

 pedition had a higher and nobler aim. We were to 

 clamber into the mountains north of Mentone in 

 order to find primula Allionii. This plant only grows 

 in the Gorge Sauvage of the Vall6e de Cairos, and 

 near Entracque in Piedmont. Such a thing accom- 

 plished would have gone far actually to justify motor- 

 cars; but our expedition failed. Local botanists 

 held it too early for this rarest of primulas, and told 

 us that she would still be hiding under the snow. 



Saxifraga longifolia is the grandest of the encrusted 

 group. Like the rest of the family, they prefer to 

 hang almost perpendicularly. The mossy saxifrages 

 make beautiful clumps upon this border and flower 

 very abundantly with white, pale yellow, pink, and 

 deep crimson blooms. Dwarf campanulas abide beside 

 them, and the larger ones thrive above and below in 

 the stones. Along the top of this part of the rockery 

 occur separate pleasant plants on a narrow, sunny, 

 and well-drained shelf. I have here albuca nelsoni, 

 phygelius capensis, leontice altaica, tulips, korol- 

 kowia or fritillaria Sewerzowi, aristea eckloni, from 

 Natal (not happy), and tulbaghia alliacea, another 

 African. 



Sometimes, after an extraordinary winter, there are 

 accidents in this terrace, and we mourn a friend and 

 find a dwelling-place to be let ; but it does not often 

 happen. I had also gelasine azurea and tricyrtis of 

 different sorts on this ledge ; but gelasine was not 

 only fleeting, .like most irids, but insignificant, so he 

 had to go, and tricyrtis, after blossoming for two 



