UNCLE IN ENGLAND. 95 



and it is so hardy, that she wonders this 

 beautiful shrub is not more common in all 

 gardens. 



What a peculiar character the hawthorn gives 

 the hedges in this country ! It is called May, 

 and indeed it is so pretty, that I think it 

 deserves that honour. 



" For thee, sweet month, the groves green liveries wear, 

 If not the first, the fairest of the year. 

 For thee the Graces lead the dancing Hours, 

 And Nature's ready pencil paints the flowers." 



I have been examining with my aunt the ten- 

 drils of the sweet pea; they are so generally 

 found just in the right places for attaching them- 

 selves to some convenient support, that one 

 would almost imagine they knew exactly where 

 to put out ; but she pointed out some that were 

 idle and useless. She then shewed me the beau- 

 tiful arrangement of nature by which the honey- 

 suckle supports itself: when a straight shoot 

 becomes long and weak, it curls into a spiral 

 figure which gives it great additional strength, 

 even if alone, and enables it to take a firm grasp 

 of any twig that it meets. But if two or more 

 shoots should touch, they immediately twine or 

 screw themselves round each other, like the 

 strands of a rope, for mutual support. 



Another fact my aunt told me on this subject 

 is, that the clasper-s of briony always shoot for- 

 ward in a spiral, in search of support $ but if 



