CHAPTER VI 



PLANTS OF THE ALPINE MEADOWS 



The meadows, whicli clothe the floors of many of the 

 Alpine valleys over 5,000 feet in altitude, and extend 

 for some little distance up their sides, are rich in 

 Alpine flowers. The wonderful massing and play of 

 colom" in the meadows in spring, before they are 

 reaped for the first time, constitutes one of the chief 

 glories of the Alps. It is a sight which is missed 

 by the great majority of those who visit Alpine 

 Switzerland. By the beginning of July the meadows 

 have, as a rule, been cut, and a second crop is 

 growing vigorously, which will again be reaped in 

 August. In many Alpine valleys, yet a third crop 

 of hay is gathered in at the end of September or 

 in early October. But after the first yield, the 

 meadows never exhibit the same wealth of blossom 

 as in spring. To see them in their full glory, a pil- 

 grimage in the latter part of June is necessary. 



The Alpine meadows, unlike the alpen or pastures, 

 which we have seen to be owned by the village com- 

 munes, are, as a rule, the private property of the 



142 



