"SWEET SUMMER BUDS" 165 



many old religious paintings of the Annunciation, 

 the Angel Gabriel, appearing before the Virgin, 

 usually holds the "Annunciation Lily," or "Ma- 

 donna Lily" in his hand. Joseph's staff was said to 

 have blossomed into lilies, and it is the white lily 

 that is usually represented in this connection. 



Wonderful family this lily tribe, flowers of the 

 grand style and haughty demeanor! Ruskin en- 

 lightens us as to why it is every one loves them and 

 why they are entwined with many of our thoughts 

 of art and life : 



"Under the name of Drosidx come plants delight- 

 ing in interrupted moisture moisture which comes 

 either partially, or at certain seasons into dry 

 ground. They are not water-plants, but the signs 

 of water resting among dry places. In the Drosida 

 the floral spirit passes into the calix also, and the 

 entire flower becomes a six-rayed star, bursting out 

 of the stem laterally, as if it were the first of flowers 

 and had made its way to the light by force through 

 the unwilling green. They are often required to 

 retain moisture, or nourishment, for the future blos- 

 som through long times of drought; and this they 

 do in bulbs underground, of which some become a 

 rude and simple, but most wholesome food for man. 



"Then the Drosida are divided into five great 



