114: FAMILIAR FLOWERS OF FIELD AND GARDEN. 



is a grand display of color for a very short season 

 and then no flowers at all. The nasturtium is one 

 of the earliest annuals to reward us with its flowers, 

 and it is amusing to see how soon the little hum- 

 ming bird discovers the whereabouts of the first 

 blossom, and how he lingers over it, taking repeated 

 sips of honey, reluctant at last to leave. I have 

 watched one little fellow visit flower 

 after flower, when later in the sea- 

 son they were very plentiful, and, 

 «till loath to leave such a paradise 

 of sweets, rest awhile on the 

 wire screen which sup- 

 ported the sweet peas, 

 preening his feathers 

 contentedly, and then 

 make a final round as . 

 though he was bent on 

 obtaining a square meal before leaving a certainty 

 for an uncertainty. 



There are three divisions of the nasturtium group 

 which are different in habit of growth : the rhuarf, 

 which does not climb; the Lohhianum^ which runs 

 over the ground and climbs very little ; and the 

 major, which attains a height of ten feet or more. 

 The dwarf is the most prolific bloomer, but the Lob- 

 bianum has a larger and more perfect flower; the 



N. Asa Gray. 



