MEADOW SAFFRON. 5 



athwart the meadows, and tall trees cast 

 their lengthened shadows on the grass. Or- 

 phan flowers, for such they may be called, 

 rising above the ground, without a sheath, 

 a fence, a calyx, or even a leaf to protect 

 them ; and tliis not in the spring, nor yet to 

 be visited by summer suns, but when the 

 nights are cold, and deciduous trees begin to 

 shed their leaves. You would pity that lit- 

 tle plant — you would be ready to exclaim, 

 " Surely it is forgotten amid the immensity 

 of creation." No, my friend. He who sus- 

 tains the firmament, and causes the day- 

 spring to know its place, who spreads abroad 

 the heavens as a tent to dwell in, and kin- 

 dles the suns of other systems, cares for that 

 little flower, preserves and cherishes it. The 

 seed-vessel, which in other plants is open to 

 the influence of light and air, is buried, in 

 the meadow saflron, at least ten inches un- 

 derground, %vithin the bulbous root. The 



