28 WILD FLOWERS, 



a lion, and goes out like a lamb," though be- 

 longing particularly to the month under the old 

 style, is yet generally true. There is scarcely 

 any time of the year, in which a few weeks effect 

 a greater change in the appearance of nature, 

 and the state of the atmosphere, than at this 

 time ; when, both in morn and eve, " the still 

 increasing day" grows on the darkness, at the 

 command of Him who causeth " the day-spring 

 to know his place ; that it might take hold 

 of the ends of the earth."* 



The vegetation of this month is not only 

 rapidly assuming the brighter colours of spring, 

 but daily becomes less thin and scattered. The 

 winding sprays of the honeysuckle are pretty 

 well covered ; the spir}^ branches of the Lom- 

 bardy poplar look cpiite green, and the flowers 

 of the ash are coming out on its leafless boughs. 

 The v/ell-cased foliage which has been hid in 

 the resinous buds of the horse-chestnut tree, 

 bursts out from its winter shield, and the green 

 flowers of the gooseberry invite the bee to their 

 nectar. The blossoms of the apricot tree 

 slowly unfold on the garden wall, and that 

 beautiful plant, the almond tree, is putting forth 

 its delicate blushing flowers so quickly, and so 

 much in advance of all the other trees in the 

 garden, as to remind us of the haste and vigi- 

 lance of which it was an ancient symbol. "What 

 seest thou? " said the word of the Lord to the 

 prophet Jeremiah, and he said, " I see a rod 

 of an almond-tree. Then said the Lord, — Thou 



Job xxxviiL 12, 13. 



