THE MEADOWS IN SPRING 145 



feet of snow. Both before and after this period, 

 intermittent snowfalls occur, which by a lowering of 

 the temperature act as temporary checks to growth 

 during the most vigorous period of this phase of 

 plant life. 



By the end of March or the beginning of April, 

 the snow begins to melt on the higher pastures, and 

 the first spring flowers appear. The meadows, how- 

 ever, are not uncovered for some weeks later. When 

 the snow at last disappears, scarcely a green blade is 

 to be seen. This is a peculiarly disagreeable season, 

 when but few have been tempted to study Alpine 

 vegetation, and the meadows, like the pastures, have 

 an ugly, deep yellowish-brown hue, rather reminding 

 one of a patch of common or grass land which has 

 recently been on fire. 



The contrast between such a meadow in the 

 middle of April, and the same meadow in the middle 

 of June, with its wealth of colour and its harvest 3 

 feet high, is one of the most remarkable to be found in 

 nature. Few comparisons, to my mind, give one a 

 better idea of the huge outlay of energy which is being 

 expended on growth, or of the rapidity of that process 

 in the Alps. 



It cannot be too clearly borne in mind that when 

 the covering of winter snow disappears, the flowering 

 period begins, and a great race against time is in 

 progress. Rather, in the case of many of the plants 

 concerned, the "full speed ahead" signal, as we shall 

 see, has been given before the snow has entirely melted. 



K 



