THE CULTIVATION OF ALPINE PLANTS 17 



foreign plants were introduced into out fields, copses, and railway- 

 cuttings, and especially any Alpine species which do not already 

 grow wild in England, it would soon upset the balance of distribu- 

 tion of our native flora, and the calculations of future generations 

 of students in geographical botany. It must not be forgotten that 

 the topographical distribution of the native plants even in these 

 small islands is a subject abounding in interesting points, and the 

 fact that it has been suggested of recent years that some of the 

 commonest species such as the White Dead-Nettie (Lamium 

 album), hitherto supposed to be indigenous, were introduced by the 

 Romans or more recently, makes it all the more incumbent upon us 

 not to ' make confusion worse confounded.' Therefore, however 

 poor in floral wealth and colour some of our own fields and meadows 

 may be in comparison with those of Alpine countries, let us be 

 satisfied with our Primroses and Bluebells, our Buttercups and 

 Daisies, and not sacrifice science to artistic effect, however tempting 

 the experiment may be. 



In regard to the making of rock-gardens, we do not propose to 

 offer more than a few very general remarks, for, in addition to the 

 fact that there are practical books already devoted to the subject, 

 this is emphatically a case in which a little practice is worth much 

 theory. Much can be learnt by observing Nature, and by noticing 

 the way in which many plants grow upon the rocks at home, and 

 how they adapt themselves to different local conditions. A single 

 visit to the Alps will teach still more. 



In making a rockery the chief thing to secure is thorough drainage 

 of the subsoil, and this can usually be obtained by digging away a 

 foot or two of the soil before any rocks are laid, and placing a layer 

 of broken stones, etc. of various sizes before the soil is replaced. 

 It must not be forgotten that in the Alps the plants grow, for the 

 most part, in naturally drained places, where water does not 

 stagnate. In the long Alpine winter they are kept dry and at a 

 fairly even temperature by a deep coating of snow ; and when 

 spring arrives, the melting of the snow around the plants gives 

 them a good start, while as the growing season advances the deeply 

 penetrating roots are given a copious supply of water from the 

 ever-melting snow above, which moisture sinks into the porous 

 ground or trickles down the mountain slopes. Therefore, in our 

 gardens, the first thing to guard against is excessive moisture in 

 winter — we can well imagine the numbers of ' Alpines ' which have 

 been killed by the persistent rains of the present winter, 1911-12. 

 The second precaution must be made in spring. In early spring 

 there is a danger of some of the more delicate subjects being 

 shrivelled up by cold east winds and briUiant sun, so that they 

 should be watered carefully and only when there is no sign of frost. 

 As early summer approaches most ' Alpines ' should be well watered 

 once or twice a day. 



