244 THE ALPINE THICKETS AND FORESl^ 



by the railway between Klosters and Davos), near 

 Lenzer Heide, and at the Maloja Pass around the 

 Chateau Belvedere. In the Valais also, between 

 Almagell and Saas Fee, good examples of the erect 

 tree form can be seen. 



As a rule, however, the specimens of this tree 

 met with are dwarfs or semi-dwarfs. Either the 

 lateral branches, at some little distance from the base 

 of the trunk, grow more vigorously than the main 

 stem, or these branches arise just above the level of 

 the soil, and are quite prostrate on the ground, only 

 the smaller leafy shoots being erect. Thus a bush 

 habit, in certain respects not unhke that of the 

 Alpenroses or the Bilberries, is attained. In addition, 

 all sorts of minor variations may be observed. Some- 

 times the bush is fairly symmetrical, at others it is 

 extremely unsymmetrical, the plant being one-sided 

 xnd growing more or less in a straight line along the 

 ground, or down a steeply sloping bank. Curiously 

 enough, the cones are almost as variable in shape 

 and symmetry as the stems. 



The Mountain Pine is of quite common occurrence, 

 especially above the limit of the Spruce and Larch 

 forests. Usually the dwarf bushes grow singly or 

 in small clumps, though here and there they may 

 form little miniature forests, inviting comparison with 

 the Coniferous woods at lower elevations. 



