l8 • ALPINE FLOWERS. Part I. 



case we cannot allow the struggle fof life to have its own re- 

 lentless way, or we should often have to grieve at finding the 

 Eritrichium from the high Alps of Europe overrun and exter- 

 minated by a dwarf American Phlox, and similar cases. Perfect 

 exposure is also necessary to complete success with very minute 

 plants, and the stones are very useful in preventing excessive 

 evaporation from their roots. Few people have any conception 

 of the great number of alpine plants that miay be grown on the 

 fully exposed level ground as readily as the common Camo- 

 mile ; but there are, on the other hand, not a few that require 

 some care to establish them, and there are usually new kinds 

 to be added to the collection, which, even if vigorous ones, should 

 be kept apart and under favourable conditions. Therefore, 

 in -every place where the culture of alpine plants is entered into 

 with zest, there ought to be a select spot on which to grow the 

 most deUcate, most rare, and most diminutive kinds. It should 

 be fully exposed, and while sufficiently elevated to secure perfect 

 drainage and all the effect desirable, should not be riven into 

 miniature peaks or crags or cliffs. 



Fig 19 shows a portion of the select rock-garden recently 

 made by Mr. James Backhouse, at York, and which answers its 

 purpose admirably, the plants thriving much better upon it than 

 upon more vertical and ambitious contrivances. The greatest 

 watchfulness should be exercised over the plants on all such 

 structures as this. They will not perish from cold or heat or 

 wet if properly planted, but many of them are so minute that 

 they are not capable of affording a full meal, to a browsing slug, 

 and accordingly often totally disappear of a moist night. Now 

 as our gardens abound with sUmy creatures that play havoc with 

 many subjects colossal compared to our alpine friends, it is clear 

 that one of the main points is to guard against slugs, and as far 

 as possible against worms. Mr. Backhouse has very cleverly 

 fenced off the choicest parts of his rockwork from them by a 

 very irregular little canal, as shown in the opposite illustration. 

 It may be so arranged and cemented that, while not an eyesore, 

 and perfectly water-tight, no slug will cross it. It thus becomes 

 a much easier task to guard the plants from injury than when 

 they crawl in from all points of the compass. But even with 

 this precaution, it is necessary to search continually for snails 

 and slugs, and in wet weather the choicest parts should be 

 searched over at night, in the evening, or early in the morning ; 



