Crocuses 35 



The iris, geranium, gladiolus, and salvia, which 

 make their debut later in spring when there are 

 many beauties in the field, must be gay if they 

 would be observed. They must appear in cos- 

 tumes which " shout," as the French say. 



But the crocus has not needed a bewilderingly 

 splendid dress in order to secure attention, because 

 she has scarcely a rival thus early in the season, 

 and it is rather Hobson's choice with the bee. 



Thus there is scarcely a single brilliant or con- 

 spicuous blossom among all the first begotten of 

 the spring. The early wild flowers which we find 

 in sheltered sunny hollows are white, or pale-yel- 

 low, or lilac, or delicate sea-shell pink. The 

 spurred columbines, in their brilliant uniforms of 

 red and gold, will not appear upon the rocks till 

 May. They have but coward hearts, for all their 

 martial colors, and dare not come out so long as 

 Jack Frost and the North Wind prowl abroad. 



But the Joans of Arc among the flowers, which 

 lead summer's hosts and brave winter's last des- 

 perate onslaughts, look as tender and demure as 

 Priscilla "the Mayflower of Plymouth." 



