MARCH. 103 



any pool, or even by the way-side. This is presented 

 in the golden catkins of the Sallow (Salix Caprcea), 

 now in full perfection, and, if the morning be bright, 

 recalling the acquaintance of many a buzzing and 

 murmuring bee ; yet it may probably have escaped 

 attention, that no fruit ever arises from these specious 

 catkins. It is so but see, farther within the coppice 

 there are other catkins without the alluring hue of 

 gold. These on close examination are seen to be 

 assemblages of pale green clammy ovaries, surmounted 

 by spreading stigmas, intended to receive that splen- 

 did hued dust or farina which the golden male catkins 

 before-mentioned give out, and which is conveyed to 

 the female plant either by the agency of the bees or 

 the rough blast. The winds of spring and autumn 

 then, annoying though they often are, have their 

 legitimate agencies to perform in nature's laboratory. 

 In the one case they scatter about profusely the 

 matured seeds that are waiting a favourable wand for 

 their voyage ; in the other, as in the yew, the hazle, 

 and the willow, they waft about that fertilizing powder 

 from plant to plant, without which process, in nume- 

 rous instances, no fecundation could take place, and 

 of course no fruit or seeds be produced by the plants 

 thus curiously circumstanced. 



Where the Alder (Alnus glutinosus) covers, as it 

 often does, marshy spots and the banks of brooks, its 

 catkins are very conspicuous among the dark branches; 

 the different species of Poplar also make a pleasing 

 show with their pendant catkins. 



In the garden the Bed Star Windflower (Anemone 

 kortensis) has a very ornamental effect, producing a 

 succession of flowers throughout this month, at a 



