JANUARY. 



" Here spreads a range of level plots, 

 Of box-fringed beds, where lurking knots 

 Of buried flowers repose, to bring 

 Kind greeting to the early spring." — Bishop Manx. 



Vegetation makes little progress now, for the 

 earth seems waiting for the breath of spring. 

 The seeds lie dormant till some access of heat 

 shall cause them to germinate, and the roots 

 abide imderground, till the coming thaw shaU 

 enable them to put forth their fibres, and to 

 send their young green shoots into the light of 

 the upper world. 



Yet, even at this time of the year, the garden 

 is not absolutely forsaken of leaves and blos- 

 soms, for God has given us winter flowers, and, 

 like those cheering hopes of future joy, which 

 spring up in the heart at the bidding of our 

 heavenly Father, during the season of gloom, 

 they smile even on darkest days, and give 

 assurance of fulness and beauty, such as Ave 

 should deem impossible if we looked only on 

 the present appearances of earth and sky. 

 The buds gradually increase in number, and 

 grow larger on the branches of the trees. The 

 evergreens, with their many dark green leaves, 

 or with their lighter hue, Uke the laurel, re- 

 flect, on their shining surfaces, the noonday 



