86 WILD FLOWERS OF 



flowering in abundance in pots in windows in London; 

 and for these situations sand alone, or sand mixed 

 with a little dirt, is the best soil." It is a pity, so 

 beautiful as the Crocus is, 



-" the flower of Hope, whose hue 

 Is bright with coming joy :" - 



that its duration, like most joys of earth, should be so 

 short as scarcely to repay the trouble of planting it 

 in pots or boxes for the drawing-room windows. If, 

 however, about two dozen sets of boxes were kept, to 

 appear in succession as the season advanced, a very 

 pleasing effect might be produced, far preferable to 

 keeping merely one dingy long box, which, though 

 sometimes fragrant with a patch of Migniouette, too 

 often scarcely seems to contain vegetable life within 

 its creaky boundaries. 



The spring Crocus (C. vernus), is a native of Italy, 

 Spain, and central Europe, but can hardly be con- 

 sidered as truly wild in Britain, though naturalized in 

 various places, and at present found plentifully in 

 meadows about Nottingham. GERARD appears to 

 have first had it in England in the reign of ELIZABETH, 

 and records it as " that pleasant plant that bringeth 

 forth yellow flowers, was sent unto me from BOBINUS, 

 of Paris." 



Just now the Mezereon (Daphne Mezereon}, makes 

 a beautiful appearance all flowers let the weather 

 be ever so severe, and its empurpled dyes and per- 

 fumed fragrance render it an universal favourite at a 

 season like this, when floral joys are scanty. Its 

 transcient purpose answered, it meets with the " com- 

 mon lot," and as Summer comes brightly on, the 

 Mezereon is entirely forgotten, till, amidst denuded 



