48 ALPINE FLOWERS AND ROCK GARDENS. 



On somewhat similar lines it may be suggested 

 that the true Alpines are those that live above the Hmit 

 of the Pines, that is to say, find on the high pastures 

 above the mountain woods their chief centres. There 

 are innumerable instances of Gentians, and Geums, 

 of Saxifrages and Soldanellas descending far below the 

 tree line ; and in the same way the floral inhabitants 

 of the valleys have pushed their way up almost to the 

 limit of perpetual snow. One recent writer dilating on 

 the fact that the Globe flower and some of the Primulas 

 flourish at a low elevation in the Rhone valley, and 

 that the stinging nettle makes itself at home by the 

 chalets of the peasants on the high Alps, asks why the 

 former should find its place amongst Alpine flowers, 

 and the latter be excluded. To this the answer 

 would be that the beautiful little Primulas have all the 

 characteristics of the mountain race ; and the nettle, 

 those of lowland weeds. And whereas the former 

 depend for distribution on their own powers, the nettle 

 is one of the adjuncts of man which he brings with him 

 from the cities to the uncultivated wilds. The way 

 in which these weeds of civilization have followed man's 

 track as he struck into new regions is a subject about 

 which much might be said ; but it must be evident 

 that they and some of the meadow flowers that have 

 found a habitation beyond the main centres of their 

 race, are the immigrants, and not the original inhabi- 

 tants, of the Alps. 



One other point should be remembered, and that 

 is the way in which the tree line varies according to 

 latitude and temperature. Even in Central Europe 



