62 THE CHRONICLES OF A GARDEN. 



the laverock. Hogg's Address to the Skylark is familiar 

 to most people ; Shelley has also written in its praise ; and 

 Wordsworth concludes his lines to this bird by declaring 

 it to be 



" Type of the wise who soar — but never roam, — 

 True to the kindred points of heaven and home." 



The gradual bursting forth of buds and leaves on shrub 

 and tree is a daily source of spring enjoyment ; the elder 

 and honeysuckle shew their purple buds early ; the lilacs 

 and flowering currants follow with their green buds ; each 

 tree and plant has its own peculiar habit and growth — each 

 unfolds its bud after a different manner ; and many a 

 pleasant hour may be passed in watching the progress and 

 unrolling of the buds of the various plants, so as to discover 

 the way the leaves are folded up and the manner in which 

 each opens and comes forth. Some leaves, for instance, 

 such as the oak, are folded from the mid-rib, so that the 

 upper surfaces of the two halves of the leaf are apj^lied to 

 each other ; in the violet the leaf is rolled inwards to- 

 wards the middle ; in the azalea it is rolled outwards ; in 

 the maple it is plaited like a fan ; in the tulip tree the point 

 is bent towards the base, and several leaves are packed one 

 within another ; while on other trees the leaf is rolled into 

 a single coil. It is interesting to trace thus in every work 

 of God's hand the variety as well as the wisdom and power 

 displayed ; but even to those who have not had their atten- 

 tion directed to these illustraticms of God's work, the 

 opening spring cannot fail to bring some thoughts of what 



