OCTOBER. 181 



crocus. The singularity of this flower consists 

 in its blooming in autumn, while its leaves and 

 fruit appear in the spring following. About 

 the end of October the flower dies away, and 

 no one, on looking at the plant, would observe 

 any indication of its seeds. Yet these lie buried 

 in the bulb while winter snows are around and 

 above it ; but when the sun and showers of 

 spring bring forward the early flowers of the 

 meadow, the seeds rise up, ripen during summer, 

 and in autumn produce the saffron flower. The 

 colchicum is a powerful medicine. No cattle 

 will touch the fresh plant ; and the idea that it 

 is fatal to dogs originated its French name of 

 morte aux chiens. It probably, when made 

 into hay, loses some of its noxious property, 

 for it is very abundant on the high lands of 

 Ital}', and is regularly cut down, on the Alpine 

 pastures, with the summer grass. With us it 

 grows pretty generally on the pasture-lauds of 

 the north-western counties. 



OCTOBER. 



" Let me quit this spot, 

 And roam where Nature sheds a parting smile : 

 As yet tlie blue-bells linger on the sod 

 That copes the shcepfold ring; and in the woods 

 A second blow of many flowers appears, 

 Flowers faintly tinged, and breathing no perfume. 

 But fruits, not blossoms, form the woodland wreath 

 That circles autumn's lirow ; the ruddy haws 

 Now clotlie the half-leaved thorn ; the bramble bends 

 Beneath its jetty load; the hazel hangs 

 With auburn branches, dipping in the stream 

 That sweeps along, and tlireatens to o'erflow 

 The leaf-strewn banks." Ja.mks Grahamk. 



The brown October is more fertile in fruits 



