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FLOWERS OF THE SEASON 



THERE is something akin to waywardness in the 

 habits of the wild flowers* They choose their 

 favourite haunts, their quiet resting-places and open 

 promenades, with apparent unconcern, but with re- 

 markable fidelity and persistence. Their preferences 

 seem most unreasonable, but that is the way of most 

 preferences. Not only have they favourite climes and 

 latitudes, favourite conditions and surroundings, but 

 favourite nooks, ravines, ponds, and hillsides, where 

 they are certain to be at home in due season to their 

 intimate friends and admirers. The Twin-flower 

 will often choose its own favourite shaded hillside, 

 leaving the opposite slope to its more vigorous 

 companion, the Partridge-berry, There they live their 

 lives, responding to the spirit of the passing seasons, 

 vivifying the spring, strengthening with the fruitful- 

 ness of summer, and varying the pattern of the 

 carpet of autumn leaves. Even through inhospitable 

 mid-winter, under the dense covering of snow, their 

 rich green leaves can still be found, full and healthy, 

 an earnest of nature's perpetual youth. Gold is 

 generally found where it is least expected ; but the 

 floral treasures have their favourite haunts* Their 



