200 THE MAGAZINE OF HORTICULTURE. 



of April, except in extraordinary seasons, and many of them, 

 retarded by the protracted chills from the ocean, continue to 

 deck the fields until they are suddenly brought to maturity 

 by the hot summer sun. It is not unusual for the whole 

 month of April to pass away without producing more than 

 two or three species of wild flowers; and, on May-day, the 

 youths and maidens are often obliged to abandon their search 

 for flowers, and to crown their young queen with a simple 

 wreath of evergreens. 



Among the vernal flowers are usually classed all those, 

 which, in propitious seasons, are expanded during the months 

 of April and May, and mostly become extinct before the 

 days have obtained their greatest length. Within this period 

 the most delicate and interesting flowers of the whole year 

 come to perfection, commencing with the anemones and 

 violets, that bring along in their rear whole myriads of bell- 

 worts, cornels, ginsengs, saxifrages, and columbines, until 

 the procession is closed by the wild geranium, that leads on 

 the still more brilliant host of summer. The vernal flowers 

 are mostly herbaceous and minute. They grow in sheltered 

 situations, on the southern slopes of declivities or the sunny 

 borders of a wood, and require but a short period of heat and 

 sunshine to perfect their blossoms. They are generally pale 

 in their tints, many of them white, but commonly tinged 

 with delicate shades of blue or pink. The anemones of our 

 fields are true vernal flowers, and there is hardly a solitary 

 one to be seen after the middle of June. Such, also, are the 

 most of the violets, the bellworts, and the Solomon's seals. 

 There are some spring flowers, however, that remain in 

 bloom during a great part of summer, until they lose all their 

 charms by constantly intruding themselves upon our notice. 

 Such are the common buttercups, which are favorites with 

 children when they first appear, but shine like gilded toys, 

 and symbolize no charming sentiment to endear them to our 

 sight. 



The anemones, on the other hand, present in their habits 

 and appearance emblems of many tender and poetic images. 

 One of the earliest of these to be found in our woods is the 



