234< Trees of $xmtzerland. 



As the Flora of Gaudin comprehends 2313 flowering plants, 

 it is evident that the hgneous species constitute one tenth of the 

 entire vegetation of the country. In this number are compre- 

 hended 50 evergreen trees and shrubs, which form about a fourth 

 or a fifth of the total number of ligneous plants. It must be 

 observed, however, that the proportion of ligneous plants which 

 exceed 2 ft. is only about one eighth, and of these not above 

 one seventh exceed 25 ft. 



The genus SaYvK. is that which contains the most species, the 

 number being 32. There are also 13 roses, 5 ^hainni, 7 

 ^elianthema, 8 Genistse, 6 Cytisi, 5 ^etulae, 5 Populi, 5 

 Daphnes, &c. 



The trees which are most common in Switzerland, that is to 

 say, those of which there are the largest forests, are, in the lower 

 regions, oaks, pines, and firs ; and, in the mountains, beeches, 

 larches, pines, and firs. The celebrated naturalist Wahlenberg, 

 who has so well compared the vegetation of Switzerland with 

 that of Lapland, says that forests of beech are rarely found, on 

 the mountains in Switzerland, more than 4000 ft. above the 

 level of the sea, though some trees are occasionally found as 

 high as 4600 ft. ; the forests of the stone pine rise as high as 

 4550 ft. ; and those of Pinus sylvestris and ^^bies excelsa, to 

 5500 ft. Every person who has travelled in Switzerland must 

 be aware of the preponderance of dark fir foliage in the forests, 

 particularly in the more elevated regions. The larch is less 

 common ; and it grows at different heights, particularly near the 

 glaciers, and generally on the sides sloping towards the north. 

 The Pinus Cemhra grows also at different heights, and forms 

 forests; as does the y^'lnus viridis, which grows sometimes above 

 the level of the firs. ^'Inus glutinosa is generally found in low 

 damp places ; and ^etula alba, in Switzerland, is never found 

 above the height of 4400 ft., though in the north of Europe it 

 rises above the limit of the firs. 



On the borders of the torrents there are a great number of 

 willows, and ii/ippophae rhamnoides. The sweet chestnut grows 

 here and there in any soil that is not calcareous, and is found even 

 at the considerable elevation of 2400 ft. It is evident that this 

 tree requires a peculiar kind of soil, as in the western part of 

 Switzerland, where it is common, it is scarcely ever found on 

 calcareous soils. If sweet chestnuts ever succeed in soils where 

 this earth predominates, it will almost always be found that they 

 happen to be planted on a bed of sandstone. On the high 

 mountains, above the limit of the trees, there are two species of 

 ^Rhododendron {II. ferrugineum and R. hirsutum), which are 

 only bounded by the regions of eternal snow. Near these elegant 

 shrubs are found the Py rus Chamaemespilus, and a hybrid be- 

 tween that tree and Pyrus -^^ria which well merits to be intro- 



