lis 



MARK TIDE. 



APRIL 27. St. Zita, virgin, a.d. 1272. 



SS. Anthimus and others, mm. at Nicomedia, 303. 



St. Anastasius, pope and confessor, 401. 



Obs. St. Zita was a native of IMontsegrado, near Lucca, in Italy. 

 She was distinguished by having kept fast a whole vear on bread 

 and water, and died after extreme unction on the 27th of April, 

 1272. * 



SS. Anthimus and others were the first victims offered to God in 

 the most bloody persecution raised by Dioclesian. St. Anthimus was 

 Bishop of Nicomedia, and cut off the first, being beheaded for his 

 faith. From the altar, the sword was turned to the laity ; persons of 

 every age and sex were burned together by setting fire round about 

 them, others being tied together were cast into the sea. 



Great Daffodil Narcissus major in full flower. 

 Tubeflowered Daffodil Narcisszis tubiflorus in full fl. 

 Common Bugle Ajuga reptans flowers. 

 Gorse Ulex Europaens in full flower. 

 Spanish Squil Scilla Canipanulata flowers. 

 Globeflower Trollius Europaeus flowers. 



A broadleaved Daffodil flowers about this time in our garden, 

 ■which we think may be either the Tubeflowered or the Spanish 

 Daffodil ; it has a longer tube and larger flower at top than that of 

 the Early Daffodil, and much wider leaves. The Common Bugle 

 is a plant, with pretty purplish blue flowers ; it is very abun- 

 dant about Holy Cross Tide, and thence to the end of May, and 

 continues to flower still later. In places where it abounds It ren- 

 ders the grass very ornamental from its blue colour. The Gorse or 

 Furze is one of the greatest ornaments of our hedges, commons, 

 and waste places ; its golden flowers have a striking effect at a dis- 

 tance : they flourish most in April and Rlay, and give place soon 

 after Midsummer to the purple Heath, which colours the wastes and 

 heaths through the aestival period. In some places about the time 

 the Broom shews a few flowers, but its general flowering is later. 

 The Broom is the third great ornament of waste places, and is cele- 

 brated by Burns the Scotch poet in his Broom of Cowdeiiknows. 



The Globeflower blows at very different times, being early in 

 some situations, from the present period to the end of May ; it is 

 recorded usually under May 6th. 



