THE NOTING NATURALIST. 



131 



densely woolly floral leaves. It is a nat- 

 ive of and entirely confined to the European 

 Alps ; and as its flowers are very lovely, 

 and being of the nature of everlasting 

 flowers, preserving their beauty for an in- 

 definite length of time, they are much sought 

 after by tourists, it being considered fash- 

 ionable and an indubitable proof of having 

 made the tour of the Alps to bring back a 

 sprig of the Edelweiss. So eagerly was it 

 sought after, and so ruthlessly rooted up by 

 thoughtless relic-hunters, that the Swiss 

 Government, afraid of its complete exter- 

 mination, passed a law making it penal to 

 root up a plant, but not preventing gather- 

 ing the flowers. This act of paternal 

 government will commend itself fo all lovers 

 of Nature's beauty, for it were a shame and 

 pity that this unique plant, which forms one 

 of the choicest ornaments of the sublime 

 scenery of the Swiss Alps, should be entire- 

 ly destroyed ; and one could wish that our 

 own government could spare time to 

 protect some of our rare ferns and flowers 

 which are rapidly disappearing under the 

 raids of thoughtless admirers or greedy cul- 

 tivators. The Wild Fowl Preservation 

 Act was a step in the right direetion, the 

 effects of which are already becoming man- 

 ifest, and whatever doubt there may be as 

 to the increased number of wild birds, there 

 can be no question as to the propriety of 

 conserving the growth of a few harmless 

 plants. So strongly did the course of the 

 Swiss Government commend itself to other 

 countries, that the Austrian Alpine Club 

 promptly passed a law, forbidding their 

 members wearing a sprig of Edel-weiss in 

 their hats, which had formerly been worn 

 as a badge of membership. The most wan- 

 ton depredators were the Italian herd-bo3's, 

 who come up from the southern plains to 

 feed their flocks on the Alps in summer, 

 j and who, encouraged by the ready sale of 

 the Edel-weiss to tourists, were rapidly 

 clearing it off from all the available spots, 



but the legal repressive measures have 

 stopped the traffic, and recent reports say 

 it is in no danger of becoming extinct. In 

 some cantons of Swizerland it is called the 

 " bridal flower," because of the custom that 

 when a young man was paying his ad- 

 dresses to a young lady, and wanted to 

 know if his affections were reciprocated, he 

 presented her with a spray of Edel-weiss, 

 freshly gathered by himself — if the damsel 

 accepted the flower, his hopes were assured, 

 and thenceforth they were betrothed. As, 

 like many rare Alpine plants, the Edel-weiss 

 often grows in very inaccessible situations ; 

 it is often to be gathered only at personal 

 risk and daring. A very touching and 

 plaintive Swiss ballad embodies the tale how 

 a gallant young lover went to gather a bunch 

 of Edel-weiss for his betrothed, and having 

 secured the flowers, perished by a fall from 

 the precipice, and was brought home to his 

 sweetheart, longing and waiting for his 

 coming, — 



" From out the deathless snows and ice 

 His fingers clasp the Edelweiss, 

 As though he prized them more than all, 

 And sought to spare them in his fall." 



And that her heart broke at the sight. 



" Time speeds, and from the hamlet small 

 It slowly winds that mourning train ; 

 Two biers are borne in silent pain, 

 Out where the night winds fall. 

 And in one grave they side by side 

 Are laid, the fair and gentle bride 

 And her young lover. Not in vain ; 

 With him, she said, that she would go, 

 And that he dared not answer ' No.' " 



Till quite recently the Edcl-weiss resisted 

 all the efforts of our floriculturists to ac- 

 climatise it, mainly from an attempt to 

 transplant the roots. The difficulty has 

 been overcome by raising it from seed. 

 The catalogue of an eminent firm for this 

 spring says the culture is easy. Any good 

 garden soil, not too stiff, will be sufficient, 

 and a good place freely exposed to the sun 

 will suit it. A closely-allied and somewhat 

 similar plant to the Edel-weiss is the lovely 

 little Mountain-everlasting (GnapJialium dim- 



