WILD-FLOWERS OF EARLY SPRING 415 



I gathered on a hillside of the Wiltshire downs 

 more than forty varieties of wild-flowers, amongst 

 them some cowslips in full and healthy blossom ; 

 and last year, when rabbit-shooting on a neigh- 

 bouring down, on nearly the same date, I found 

 wild strawberries in fruit, and also a single cowslip, 

 but a few yards apart from each other. 



Not the least beautiful of our summer flowers, 

 often blooming late into October, is the common 

 dropwort (Spiraa filipendula), the pink unopened 

 buds pleasingly contrasting with the soft and 

 creamy flowers. 



When the branches of the elm-trees are turning 

 purple, and the willow-rods grow crimson in the 

 woodlands, the aconite fearlessly pushes its way 

 through the still cold earth, and, nothing daunted, 

 unfolds its yellow petals in the weak, wintry sun- 

 light. The north wind may whistle and blow 

 chill, but through fair and foul alike the brave 

 little flower, the harbinger of lengthening days 

 and returning spring, still holds its own. Then 

 come the snowdrops, their graceful, downcast 

 petals fair in white robes trimmed daintily with 

 green. They, too, can thrive and flourish, despite 

 the bitter blast which, searching each crevice in 

 the thickest hedge, rasps the dead leaves against 

 the sapless boughs ; and ere these have faded and 

 turned brown, lords-and-ladies, as the country- 

 folk term the wild arum, begin to assert them- 

 selves and take their accustomed places ; while 

 here and there, from amid their fresh and clustering 





