154 FLOWER-FIELDS OF ALPINE SWITZERLAND 



we have already with us, and induce them to 

 become more general and abundant. Even in that 

 way we should approach to something of Alpine 

 prodigality ; for there is quite a goodly number 

 of British plants among the colour-giving subjects 

 of an Alpine meadow. There is, for instance, 

 Geranium sylvaticum (the rose or blue-mauve 

 Wood Crane's-bill), rare, and found mostly upon 

 pastures in the north ; or there is Astrantia 

 7najor (the pinky-green-and-white Masterwort), an 

 " escape," near Ludlow and Malvern ; or Phyteuma 

 spicata (the cream-coloured Rampion), found only 

 in Sussex ; or Salvia pratensis (the rich-blue 

 Meadow Clary), scarce, and confined to fields in 

 Kent, Oxfordshire, and Cornwall ; or Polevionium 

 coeruleum (the blue Jacob's Ladder or Greek 

 Valerian), rare, and confined to the north of 

 England. Why should not such as these be 

 brought from out their hiding and be induced 

 to people propitious places in a more abundant 

 way? 



No sooner, however, does " sweet reasonable- 

 ness " begin to dawn upon our imaginations, and 

 we commence to take kindly to our idea, than 

 we are confronted by the irate farmer — hasty and 

 nervous lest we and our " weeds " have designs 



