58 WILD FLOWERS OF 



warm sheets to hug himself in fancied security, and, 

 as he hears the stormy blast without, and just catches 

 a shivering glimpse of the frosty finger-marks of stern 

 Winter upon the window-panes, contents himself with 

 the idea that there is nothing worthy of inspection 

 out of doors. Tet Nature has something to exhibit 

 even now, and above or under the frosty chrystalliza- 

 tion of the earth, some vegetative action is progressing 

 even at this dull period, called in the " Calendariutn 

 Naturale" NIVALIS, or the " SNOWING-TIME," when, 

 says FOKSTER, " the weather is on an average of years 

 cold, and the snow often falling or lying on the ground." 

 No doubt about it, and if not cold from keen frost or 

 pityless snow, blustering winds will probably sweep 

 along, and pour their wild music through the woods. 



Of late years fearful gales have occurred in January, 

 overturning multitudes of trees, and sadly upsetting 

 the calculations of the farmer as to the drink-offerings 

 he expected from the coming season, by the destruc- 

 tion of sundry apple and pear trees in his homestead. 

 Almost every orchard shows two or three trees which 

 some former gale has thrown down upon their knees, 

 and they invariably point eastward, thus showing that 

 the gale has blown from the opposite quarter. It is 

 remarkable that when a fruit tree has been thus 

 placed apparently liors de coinbat, if it survives the 

 shock, it becomes more luxuriant and nourishing, and 

 is more stable for the future than those of its brethren 

 that have retained their erect position. Apple and 

 pear-trees often revive after being blown down, but 

 not so the rigid church-yard Tew, which once fallen, 

 can rise no more. There it is, laid prone in the dust 

 by the midnight hurricane, after a warfare with the 



