BETWEEN DIANTHUS AND EPILOBIUM 99 



Not very far from Arenaria is Moehringia, a very 

 curious species from shady alpine woods. There are 

 several Moehringias, but only with minute diflFerences. 

 They all make a filmy cloud of fine foliage, starred with 

 small whity-green flowers. All must have shade and 

 moisture, and are interesting if not very thrilling. 



Tunica Saxifraga is a most pleasant treasure from the 

 south, who proves quite hardy and vigorous in this 

 climate, even in open beds — though, of course he is safer 

 on the rock-work, where his neck is safe from excessive 

 damp in winter. I have found him all along the eastern 

 and western Riviera, growing, for instance, among grass 

 and rocks near the lighthouse above Antibes, in face 

 of that most glorious view in Europe — which, over the 

 sea, and over the little, unchanged Greek city, and over 

 all the intervening ranges, has the whole splendour of the 

 Maritime Alps unrolled from end to end, from crown to 

 base, from the Argentera to the last peaks beyond the 

 Col de Tenda. In cultivation Tunica makes a wide 

 cloud of airy green, richly galaxied with innumerable 

 rosy-pink stars all through the season and far on into 

 autumn. Sometimes he is even a little inclined to 

 overflower himself and die — but how different, morally, 

 is this excessive generosity, from the greed of vulgar 

 display that dictates the same conduct in the semi- 

 double Mule-Pinks ! And Tunica, too, sets abundant 

 seed, so there is neither reason nor excuse why any one 

 should ever be without him. All he wants is full 

 exposure and good root-room. Then he will be a per- 

 ennial joy. 



And now a sudden burst of candour compels me to 

 burst back upon my own track and make mention of the 

 Milkworts. On the principle that if you have nothing 

 pleasant to say you should hold your tongue, I had 

 allowed myself to pass the Milkworts over in a tactful 



