BILBERRY MOORS 



195 



a great deal of moisture. Sometimes, when the summers are 

 very dry and the bogs are much less moist than usual, the Bog 

 Moss may begin to look almost dried up, instead of the yellowish- 

 green by which it is at once recognised from the surrounding 

 vegetation. It is not easy to find the fruit of this moss, for it 

 more generally forms young plants at the ends of its branches. 

 The fruit or capsules are red, and about the size of a very large 

 pin's head ; they are borne on much shorter stalks than the 

 capsules of many mosses, and may be found in the month of 

 August. The plants which are most 

 frequently found in association with the 

 Bog Moss are the Cloudberry, the Cran- 

 berry, and the Cross-leaved Heath. 

 The Cloudberry belongs to the same 

 genus as the Blackberry, but it is a 

 very different plant in appearance. It 

 is not found in the south of England, 

 but belongs to high altitudes and lati- 

 tudes. In fact, it is a true Arctic plant, 

 most at home in cold and exposed situa- 

 tions. It is a small plant, with a creep- 

 ing stem and one-flowered shoots. The 

 fruits are large and orange in colour. 

 The Cranberry is a very delicate, grace- 

 ful plant, with threadlike stems and tiny 

 dark green leaves, the edges of which roll 

 back, almost concealing the white under 

 side. The slender flower-stalks bear 

 bright rose-red flowers, the stamens of 

 which have purple filaments and yellow 

 anthers. The berries are large, at first greenish ; then they 

 turn red and are much used for food. 



FIG. 59. Bilberry ( Vacdnium 

 Myrtillus\ 



BILBERRY MOORS 



Heather does not appear to thrive above 2000 feet. When 

 this height is reached it gets stunted and less abundant, and 

 the Vacciniums then become dominant. The two most common 



