A YEAR IN THE FIELDS 



on April 4. The arbutus and the dicentra 

 appeared on the loth, and the coltsfoot 

 which, however, is an importation about 

 the same time. The bloodroot, claytonia, 

 saxifrage, and anemone were in bloom on 

 the i ;th, and I found the first blue violet 

 and the great spurred violet on the iQth 

 (saw the little violet-colored butterfly dan- 

 cing about the woods the same day). I 

 plucked my first dandelion on a meadow 

 slope on the 23d, and in the woods, pro- 

 tected by a high ledge, my first trillium. 

 During the month at least twenty native 

 shrubs and wild flowers bloomed in my 

 vicinity, which is an unusual showing for 

 April. 



There are many things left for May, but 

 nothing fairer, if as fair, as the first flower, 

 the hepatica. I find I have never admired 

 this little firstling half enough. When at 

 the maturity of its charms, it is certainly the 

 gem of the woods. What an individuality 

 it has ! No two clusters alike ; all shades 

 and sizes ; some are snow-white, some pale 

 pink, with just a tinge of violet, some deep 

 purple, others the purest blue, others blue 

 touched with lilac. A solitary blue-purple 

 one, fully expanded and rising over the 

 5 



