58 SHROVE TIDE ? 



FEB. 27. St. Leandeu, bishop of Seville, a.d. .596. 

 SS. .Julian, Chronion, and Besas, martyrs. 

 St. Thalilaeus, recluse in Syria. 

 St. Galmier of Lyons. 

 St. Nestor, bishop and martyr. 



('6.«. St. Leander was of an illustrious family, and was born at 

 Carthagena in Spain. His two brothers were St. Fulgentius bishop 

 of Eliga, and St. Isidore of Seville. St. Leander reformed the Spanish 

 Liturgy. He also wrote a celebrated letter to his sister Florenfina, 

 a holy virgin, and particularly exhorted her to constant prayer ; for 

 Jie used to say that prayer was to the whole of a devout life what the 

 spring was to a watch. 



Lungwort Pulmonary officinalis flowers. 



This plant is usually in flower at this time, and, like the Marvel 

 of Peru and some few other vegetable productions, it bears flowers 

 of two or more colors on the same plant ; blue, purple, and red, 

 are the commoa colors on it. 



A straggling swallow or two is sometimes seen at Rome and in 

 the south of Italy about this time : in that country these birds ap- 

 pear a month earlier than with us : 



Are we deceived, or doth some struggling Swallow 



Appear to give forewarning of the Spring, 



While Februa's visage still is cold and sallow, 



And still the insect tribe lie slumbering ? 



The farmer ought now to be sowing his land as soon as dry weather 

 occurs. The following is old Tusser's rule for sowing oi grev, seeds :^ 

 Go plough in the stubble, for now is the season 

 For sowing of Vetches, of Beans, and of Peason. 

 Sow Runcivals timely, and all that is grey ; 

 But sow not the white till St. Gregory's Day. 



