NOVEIvrBER. 535 



teristics of the flowers of different seasons are an interesting 

 theme of speculation ; and they represent, somewhat imper- 

 fectly, the flowers of the different latitudes. The flowers 

 of the higher latitudes resemble those of spring, of the 

 temperate zone those of summer, and the flowers of the 

 tropics those of early autumn. 



The summer flowers are in their greatest splendor in the 

 latter part of June. The greater part of those which com- 

 mence their flowering in August are autumnal flowers, and 

 do not acquire their full maturity until September. The 

 summer flowers are characterized by their large size and 

 brilliant colors, and combine the two qualities of delicacy 

 and splendor in a greater degree than those of any other 

 season. Such are the diff'erent species of the beautiful 

 Orchis tribe, the Cardinal flower, the Cymbidium, th'e Are- 

 thusas, and some of the wild lilies. The majority of the 

 flowering shrubs put out their blossoms in early summer, 

 just after the blossoming of the fruit trees. These diminish 

 in number as the summer advances, and in autumn hardly 

 one is to be found that is not loaded with seeds or fruit. 

 The flowering plants of autumn, however, though not 

 shrubs, are woody in their texture, and many are, in fact, 

 a kind of annual shrubbery. 



The summer flowers may be said to date their commence- 

 ment with the elegant Canadian rhodora, and to end with 

 the alder-leaved clethra, a flowering shrub very common 

 in our swamps, bearing long slender spikes of white blos- 

 soms, which have the odor of lilacs. During this interval, 

 the most beautiful flowering shrubs of our climate unfold 

 their blossoms. The rhodora is followed in succession by 

 the honey-suckles, the kalmias, or false laurels, the azaleas, 

 the viburnums, and many others not less important as orna- 

 ments of our native landscape. The flowering of the alder- 

 leaved clethra, marks the decline of summer. After this, 

 the remainder of the month of August is a period rather 

 barren of wild flowers. The most of those which are pecul- 

 iar to summer, have faded, and the autumnal tribes are 

 still ripening their buds. There seems to be a short sus- 



