2 NEW tear's tide. 



JAN. 2. St. Macarius, Anchoret of Alexandria, 

 A.D. 394. 



St. Concordius, martyr. 



St. Adalard, abbot and conf. 



Obs. St. Macarius dwelt forty six years in the deserts of Lower 

 Egypt in the anchoretical state, and lived chiefly on herbs, lie was 

 one among many extraordinary examples of abstinence of those 

 early times. For seven years his food was only raw herbs, ground 

 nuts, and other the like substances. He was equally celebrated for 

 his long vigilance, and seemed to have dispensed with three fourths 

 of the sJeep usually enjoyed. His life is written by Palladius. 



Common Groundsel Seneclo vulgaris flowers. 



Obs. This plant, in flower all the year, is recorded today as the 

 Flower of St. Macarius in the Florllegium Asp. Div. 



As the day lengthens so the cold strengthens. This is an old and 

 well grounded proverb : on an average of many years it will be found 

 that from Christmas Day to St. Hilary the cold is getting greater ; 

 it then is stationary for some days, and then the temperature begins 

 again to increase. At this season the bare trees and the bleak 

 appearance of every thing, even when there is no snow, usually ren- 

 ders the landscape the least picturesque of any : some occasionally 

 well coloured sunsets however may be seen. 



At the beginning of the present year, 1827, the weather was so 

 mild that on this day the following plants were in blow in the 

 author's garden: The Red Star Windflower, the Threeleaved Snap 

 Dragon, the Polyanthus, the jMarigold, the Small Field Marigold, 

 the Groundsel, the Red Dead Nettle, and the Laurestine. The 

 Black Hellebore was likewise coming into flower. A south aspect 

 and light warm soil usually produces some flowers in the midst of 

 winter. This day in 1782 was very mild and windy with violent 

 showers, and the Redbreast singing; 1783 frosty. Black Hellebore 

 in flower; 1784 thawing after snow ; 1796 thaw and hard rain at 

 niuht; 1797 clouds and showers. 



The lines on today in the Florilegium mention : 



Though storms may rage and skies may lower 

 We'r sure to see the Groundsel in flower. 



