November ii, 1891.] 



Garden and Forest. 



53i 



Holiday Notes from Switzerland. — II. 



BEFORE reaching Tiefenbach, at an elevation of 6, 790 feet, we 

 found Pedicularis tuberosa, a handsome pale yellow flowered 

 species, in abundance, also the three Vacciniums, the Whortle- 

 berry, V. Myrtilhcs, V. uliginosum and the Cowberry, V. Vitis- 

 idcea. Soldanellas were also seen, but at this elevation they 

 were all long past the flowering stage ; toward the close of 

 our holiday, at the very edge of the snow-fields, we found them 

 in flower. The Rosage, or Rose des Alpes, Rhododendron 

 ferrugineum, was also out of flower at this elevation. The 

 common Monk's-hood, Aconitnm Napelhcs, exhibited its pani- 

 cles of blue blossoms in a sheltered rocky hollow — only one 

 colony of this species was noted during our first day's tramp. 

 The Crowberry, Empetrum nigrum, was common by the road- 

 sides, as was* also the Bluebells of Scotland, Campanula 

 rotundifolia ; in Scotland this species ascends to about 3,500 

 feet. Here, too, was seen our first living specimen of Nigri- 

 tella angustifolia, a beautiful alpine Orchid with grassy leaves 

 and a dense spike of small blackish purple flowers with a 

 strong vanilla-like fragrance. 



The next morning we left Tiefenbach and followed the 

 Furka road, constructed, under many engineering difficulties, 

 principally for military purposes. The road crosses the Tie- 

 fentobel, and we leave the fine waterfall formed by the dis- 

 charge of the Siedeln Glacier on the left ; high above this rise 

 the jagged, pointed peaks of the Bielenstock (9,969 feet), and 

 straight before us the Furkahorn. fn several places magnifi- 

 cent views are obtained of the Urseren Valley and the pinna- 

 cles of the Spitzberge and other mountains. At the Furka 

 Pass, 7,992 feet high, a saddle between the Muttenhorner on 

 the left and the Furkahorner on the right, a glorious pano- 

 rama unfolds itself, the most imposing object being the snow- 

 clad Finsteraarhorn, the highest of the Bernese Alps, which 

 rises to a height of 14,000 feet. Shortly after crossing the pass, 

 one of the most striking sights we met with, as far as plant- 

 life is concerned, was furnished by an extensive, very steep, 

 slope, thickly studded with Campanula thyrsoidea, a remarka- 

 ble species, about fifteen inches in height, with narrow leaves 

 and a dense, leafy, oblong spike of rather large creamy white 

 flowers. Near trickling rills of water Silene acaulis formed 

 compact cushions of the brightest green, thickly set with 

 pretty red flowers. The blue-flowered Campanula Cervicaria 

 also occurred, though much less frequently than C. thyrsoidea. 

 Gentiana verna, one of the most beautiful of all alpine 

 plants, grew in company with the Silene, and its turf-like 

 masses of small dark green leathery leaves were in some 

 cases almost hidden by their wealth of flowers of heaven's 

 own blue. Cirsium heterophyllicm, a handsome thistle 

 with long-stalked purple flower-heads, was noted here ; it 

 is a plant worthy of a place in the herbaceous border. Nigri- 

 tella, too, was frequent. From the Galenhiitten admirable 

 views are obtained of the fantastic ice masses of the Rhone 

 Glacier — resembling a gigantic frozen waterfall — and of the 

 mountains between which it is embedded, instead of follow- 

 ing the road from the Galenhiitten we scrambled through the 

 tangle of Alders, Juniper, etc., and in due time reached the 

 base of the glacier. Alnus viridis, the Alder just referred to, 

 is a species which nearly marks the highest limit of tree- 

 growth in the Alps, and is generally found in abundance on 

 the sites of old moraines. Jtmiperus nana grew in company 

 with the last-named, and in open places Epilobium Fleischeri, 

 a fine Willow-herb, with showy rose-colored flowers'. Here, 

 too, we noticed a few clusters of St. Bruno's Lily (Paradisia 

 Lil'iastrum) and St. Bernard's Lily (Anthericum Liliago), with 

 their snowy white blossoms still in full beauty. These two 

 species are deservedly popular in British gardens, as they 

 thrive readily and adapt themselves to conditions wonderfully " 

 different from those which obtain in their native habitats. 

 Lilium Martagon was observed in some plenty, but no color 

 variations were noticed. 



A dwarf Achillea (A. nana), with white felted pinnate leaves 

 and short stems terminated by almost globular corymbs of 

 inconspicuous flowers, was seen. The neat habit of this plant 

 and the beauty of its white leaves would make it a favorite 

 with the devotees of carpet-bedding — a fashion which all per- 

 sons of rightly constituted minds are glad to see rapidly de- 

 clining — if only it would lend itself to cultivation. At the very 

 base of the glacier, where only a few inches of soil and debris 

 covered the solid ice, the Kidney Vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria) 

 was covered with its heads of yellow flowers. Linaria alpina, 

 too, had but few competitors here, where even grasses and 

 sedges were scarce. The Anthyllis was the prevailing plant, 

 and gave a distinct character to the scene. 



A rest of an hour by the infant Rhone, which the ancients 



poetically describe as "descending from the gates of eternal 

 night at the foot of the pillar of the sun," sufficed to set us up 

 for our further walk of ten miles to Minister. Fine forests of 

 Scotch Fir, Norway Spruce and Larch intermixed, the latter 

 with its branches laden with long masses of Usnea (a lichen 

 called Old Man's Beard in England), occurred on part of our 

 way. The quaint villages of Obergestelen, .Oberwald and 

 Ulrichen (a walk of three hours and a half from this place 

 brings us to the Gries Pass, the boundary between Switzerland 

 and ftaly), with their very primitive wooden chalets — outside 

 nearly every one of which was a great heap of cow-dung — 

 were passed before we reached the comfortable inn. at Miin- 

 ster, the "Goldnes Kreuz." 



Royal Gardens, Kew. George Nicholson. 



Forest-vegetation of the Upper Mississippi. — III. 



'HPHE Cottonwood (Populus monilifera) grows abundantly 

 -*- along the Mississippi River in bottoms, where both 

 sandy and rich soil seem favorable for its development, and 

 the trees are often of very large size. They are seldom found, 

 however, on the uplands away from the streams, except as re- 

 cent introductions. The species is now sometimes found in 

 the neighborhood of stone quarries in the loose clay soil. 

 Trembling Aspen (Populus tremuloides) is common in the 

 rich black soils of second bottoms, or the humus soil on 

 ridges. Near Dubuque it occurs around rocky ledges. The 

 species grows in groups, sometimes several acres in extent. 

 It is a short-lived tree, and is followed by more useful trees, 

 like the Oak. The Large-toothed Poplar (P. grandidentata) 

 is less common than the last. It is found in more or less 

 isolated groups in sandy and clay soils, and its growth is more 

 rapid than that of the Trembling Aspen. 



A few trees of the Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) were 

 observed at Turkey River Junction, Iowa. From this point 

 southward it is more frequent in the Mississippi River bottoms. 

 The Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis) occurs in rich soil of 

 the bottoms of Root River and other streams ; and not infre- 

 quently it is found on the rocky limestone cliffs, as at North 

 McGregor, Iowa. It is a tree which can adapt itself to a va- 

 riety of soils, and, when cultivated, it does admirably on poor 

 sandy soil. 



The Birches are fairly well represented, the most com- 

 mon species being the River Birch (Betula nigra). It, with 

 the White Maple, more nearly typifies the timbered region of 

 the Mississippi bottoms than any other tree. The Black Birch 

 diminishes in numbers southward. The Canoe Birch is com- 

 mon about La Crosse and Trempealeau, Wisconsin, where it is 

 usually found on the tops of the limestone bluffs, though also 

 occurring in ravines and ridges as well as in sandy soil. On 

 some of the rocky hills it is almost the only tree. It rarely 

 attains great dimensions, except when growing in rich clay 

 soil. Near Dubuque it is scarce. Yellow, or Gray Birch (B. 

 luted) is found more abundantly along the sandy, rocky cliffs 

 of the Kickapoo. It also occurs on sandstone rocks near a 

 Tamarack-swamp not far from La Crosse. It is not a com- 

 mon tree. 



Quite a grove of small Kentucky Coffee-trees occurs south of 

 La Crescent in the Root River bottoms, and on the Wisconsin 

 side there are two or three trees about seven miles below La 

 Crosse. They are from twelve to fifteen feet high. It is much 

 more numerous on steep hillsides near North McGregor, but 

 none of the specimens are large. From this point southward 

 it is more numerous. I noted it at Clayton, Turkey River 

 Junction and Dubuque. It does not occur in the interior of 

 the country east of La Crosse. 



The Honey Locust was observed near Turkey River Junc- 

 tion, Iowa ; from thence southward it is more numerous. 



The Black Locust (Robinia Pseudacacia) has established itself 

 near La Crosse and Trempealeau, Wisconsin. 



According to Mr. Harris, the Red Mulberry formerly flour- 

 ished in the Root River bottoms near La Crosse. I have not 

 seen it, however, growing wild. Scattered specimens were 

 found at North McGregor, Iowa, and it is more numerous 

 near Dubuque. 



Basswood is largely influenced by moisture. Rich black 

 soil and damp grounds, sloping to the north,, are favorable 

 situations for it, and it is commonly fourkl along the rich bot- 

 toms of the smaller streams and creeks. 



The American Elm is a common tree everywhere along the 

 creeks and streams near springs ; occasionally, also, in up- 

 land woods in dry soil. The Red Elm (Ulmus fulva) is not 

 uncommon on the rocky slopes of bills along the Mississippi. 

 It is absent or rare in the interior of the country. The Cork 

 Elm (U. racemosa) is far less common than U. Americana. 



