OCTOBER. 



OCTOBER bears pretty much the same cha- 

 racter in the fall of the year, as April does in 

 the spring. The beginning of April is still 

 wintry, the end may often lay strong claims 

 to the name of summer ; the commencement 

 of October is frequently distinguished by the 

 lingering of summer-warmth and summer- 

 flowers, the end by frosts and snows. It is a 

 month as various as April clear skies and fogs, 

 drought and rain, sunshine and storm, green- 

 ness and nakedness, it has them all, and often 

 in a rapid succession. In the early part of the 

 month the hardy yarrow and a few other flowers 

 remain, and the meadow-saffron (colchicum 

 autumnale) and the autumnal crocus (crocus 

 autumnalis) spring up and give a last gleam of 

 floral beauty to the year. The grass, if the 

 weather be mild, is vividly green, and luxuriant 



