30 FLOWER-FIELDS OF ALPINE SWITZERLAND 



advantage of the Alpine spring ; wasted, in so 

 far as we arrive only in late July or early 

 August ! 



Nor should our praise be counted amongst 

 surprises. Champex's fields bear witness to it 

 being no mere idle adulation. On the flat damp 

 grass-land, intersected by sparkling glacier streams, 

 which stretches away to the north of the lake, 

 great and brilliant groups of Caltha palustris (only 

 the common Marsh -Marigold, it is true, but of 

 how much more luscious, brilhant hue than down 

 upon some lowland marsh) lie upon a vast rosy 

 carpet of Primula far inosa, effectively broken here 

 and there by the rich purple tints of Bart mi alpina 

 and the ruddier hues of Pedicularis. And this 

 wondrous wealth of yellow and rose is found again 

 on the extensive sunny slopes to the south of the 

 lake ; but here Gentiana verna asserts its bright 

 blue presence amongst the Primula, and the effect 

 is even more astonishingly gay than it is to the 

 north. Like Count Smorltork's " poltics," it 

 " surprises by himself." 



On these southern slopes, too, are quantities of 

 Micheli's Daisy, enlivening still more with their 

 glistening whiteness the beautiful colour-scheme. 

 There are also colonies of the two Pmguiculas, 



