APKIL. 53 



April. It was formerly used for decking houses ; 

 for in olden times, not only was tlie Christmas 

 holly placed on the chimney-piece, but every 

 season gave its proper flowers, or shrubs, to 

 adorn the English home. Thus the old poet 

 Herrick records these long-lost customs: 



" When yew is out, the birch comes in, 

 And many flowers beside ; 

 Both of a fresh and fragrant kin, 

 To honour Whitsuntide. 



" Green rushes then, and scented bents, 

 Witli cooler oaken boughs, 

 Come in for comely ornaments 

 To re-adorn the house." 



About this time we may search for the beau- 

 tiful dark-j)urple silky stars of the pasque-flower, 

 (Aneinone jndsatilla.) It grows on chalky 

 pastures, or on banks, and, sometimes, though 

 more rarely, in woods ; and the rare wood- 

 anemone, (Anemone rannnculoides,^ with its soft 

 yellow flowers, springs up in some few sequest- 

 ered woo'^s at this season. It has been found in 

 several parts of Kent and Hertfordshire. 



Among the most common, and certainly one 

 of the prettiest flowers which we in this month 

 gather from the woodlands, is the wood-sorrel, 

 (Oxalis acetosella,) though, unless the spring be 

 forward, we shall not And it till the latter end 

 of the month. While wc admire the pencilled 

 beauty of this blossom, we observe too the 

 delicate light green -tripled leaf. We have 

 not a wild flower whicli can rival the sensitive 

 })lant of warmer regions — that plant, the con- 

 sideration of whose mysterious sensibility, is 



