THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 
U21 
THE ALPINE EOSE. 
( With coloured plate of Rhododendron Chammcistus.') 
E general notion of an “ alpine plant ” is a procumbent 
herbaceous tuft, more or less moss-like in texture, and 
with not a semblance of wood anywhere about it. This 
erroneous idea arises from the custom of limiting the 
ordinary selection of so-called alpine plants to such as 
grow well on rockeries of the ordinary type, and in common herbaceous 
borders. In the higher alpine regions grow many arborescent 
plants, and in fact the true alpine flora comprises trees and shi^ubs, 
as well as herbaceous subjects. They all agree, however, in a 
cushion-like growth ; the trees do not become trees, but spread out 
and keep close to the ground, and incline rather to form a mat of 
branches touching the stones than a spreading head borne on a 
distinct stem, as a proper tree would grow upon the plains. Two 
very pretty examples of the higher alpine timber may be easily 
obtained and grown in any garden. These are the polar willows, 
Salix retmilata and S. herhacea, which are true trees, though they 
spread on the surface of the ground, and never show the slightest 
indication of a tendency to the formation of a stem or a head, or any 
other features by which usually a tree is recognized and distinguished 
as such. The first-named of these polar willows will make hard, 
woody shoots, as thick as a black-lead pencil, and these shoots run 
upon the surface and emit roots and leaves as they go. The other is 
of a more wiry and herbaceous habit, but when closely observed, is 
found to be a genuine tree like the other. 
It may be worthy of observation, that between trees properly 
' so-called, and herbaceous plants properly so-called, the diferences 
are easily determined, and yet we can find a number of plants that 
occupy a midway place between them ; and these teach us that the 
differences that appear so decisive at the first consideration are 
differences of degi’ee only, and not of kind. Let us ask, for example, 
to what class are the perennial iberis and the yellow alyssum to be 
assigned. We call them herbaceous plants, but they make hard 
wood, and have the habit of dwarf shrubs, and in fact are shrubs ; 
that is to say, miniature trees. AVhat can be more decidedly herba- 
ceous than a clove pink, when regarded in its babyhood ? yet, if we 
leave a clove in the ground for ten years, and it happens to enjoy 
health all that time, it will form woody stems as thick as a man’s 
thumb, and as hard as any one would desire for a walking-stick. 
Thus, modes of classification that appear to us sufficient to mark 
out dividing lines in the kingdom of nature, shrink away when con- 
fronted with facts, or at least retire out of view, to remain until 
wanted for purposes of temporary convenience, when it may happen 
that a faulty classification is better than no classification at all. 
But what has all this to do with the alpine rose ? Not much, 
perhaps, but we were led into the little disquisition by calling to mind 
how many of the alpine herbs approach to the tree- like in habit and 
21 
November, 
