ANEMONE NEMOROSA. WIND-FLOWER, OR WOOD-ANEMONE. 23 



to be often employed. Even the root, held awhile in the 

 mouth, is said to induce a flow of cold, watery matter from 

 the nose. Linnaeus reports that cattle feeding on it, in the 

 North of Europe, get the dysentery. Chiropodists sometimes 

 use the juice to burn out corns, and it is said to enter into 

 some preparations for curing gout and rheumatism. 



The Anemone nemorosa grows abundantly wherever it is 

 found at all, and has a very wide range. It extends down into 

 the mountains of North and South Carolina, and is also found 

 along the coast of California. On both sides of the continent 

 it proceeds far towards the Arctics, and is equally at home in 

 Europe and Siberia. 



It is one of the earliest flowers to put in a spring appearance, 

 and is always welcomed by the most practical as well as by 

 those who read " sermons in stones, and God in everything." 

 Among these last, the eloquent poet, Percival, says, — 



" Beside a fading bank of snow 



A lovely Anemone blew, 

 Unfolding to the sun's bright glow 



Its leaves of heaven's serenest hue. 

 1 'T is spring,' I cried ; 'pale winter 's fled, 



The earliest wreath of flowers is blown ; 

 The blossoms, withered long and dead, 



Will soon proclaim their tyrant flown ! ' " 



Yes, the winter is a tyrant to the flowers ! but to the plant 

 which bears it, a true friend. It gives it rest, and the " snowy 

 bank," which the poet loves to see fade from over it, furnished 

 protection and warmth to the little roots as they slept; but with 

 our plate before us, we should not call what appear to be 

 roots by that name. There are few "roots" to the Anemone 

 in the winter season. What we find then are underground 

 stems, from which the little root-fibres push forth in early 

 spring. From the end of these stems a leaf starts from the 

 apex after a few warm days, and the plant prepares to run 

 on and make a few inches of underground growth for next year. 



