JANUARY. 



" And not a leaf or sprig of green 

 On ground or quaking bush is seen, 

 Save grey-vein'd ivy's hardy pride, 

 Round old trees by the common side : 

 The sparrow too, a daily guest 

 Is in the cottage eaves at rest ; 

 And robin small, and smaller wren. 

 Are in their warm holes safe again 

 From falling snows, that winnow by 

 The hovels where they nightly lie ; 

 And ague winds that shake the tree 

 Where other burds are forced to be."— Clark 



In the cold and frosty January, where are we 

 to look for the wild flowers ? Their roots and 

 seeds are safely covered by the snow, and if a 

 oright clear sky, and a frosty air, should spread 

 their influences, yet few will open to a January 

 sun. Man has, by skill, brought the flowers ot 

 other lands to enliven our winter; even at that 

 season when the Almighty "scattereth his hoar- 

 frost like ashes," and none " can stand before 

 his cold ;" the golden clusters of the winter 

 aconite {Eranthis hyemalis) have been brought 

 us from the mountains of , Italy, and their 

 buttercup-like blossoms are bright as gold : 

 the Christmas rose {IleUeborus niger) stands 

 like a flower of snow among its dark shining 

 leaves ; and the bright pink, and deep blue 



