18 WILD FLOWERS. 



The grass lands look less beautiful in December 

 and January than in any other months. As 

 soon as February has commenced, the leaves of 

 several spring plants unfold, and trail over the 

 hedge-bank, or shoot among the grass, and the 

 verdure begins to show a gradual increase. But 

 the January grass is almost stationary, and, if 

 v?e are to believe the old proverb, it ought not 

 to grow at all during the month. 



" If the grass grows in Janiveer, 

 It grows the worse for it all the year." 



The fact is, that a premature spring is in- 

 jurious, not only to pasture land, but to vegeta- 

 tion generally. 



The common chickweed {Stellaria media) is 

 another little blossom which may be found in 

 this early month, when the snow is off the 

 ground. It is too commonly gathered for the 

 tame bird to need any description. Its small 

 white flowers may be seen, on richly cultivated 

 lands, at almost any season. Our song birds, 

 especially the tribe of finches, are much in- 

 debted to this ])lant for food ; as they eat, not 

 only its numerous seeds, but its young tops 

 and leaves. 



Thus small is January's wreath ! The trees, 

 as yet, are leafless ; but the shining dark buds 

 of the horse-chestnut promise us a speedy 

 foliage. One would wonder where the little 

 birds found shelter, but the sparrow is twitting 

 still, and the robin, though silent during the 

 frost, will have a merry song to greet us on a 



