THE PLANT AND THE SEASONS 31 



The earliest arrivals of the springtime will 

 often have to face long turns of bad weather. 

 That typical flower of the new year, the Snow- 

 drop, is well adapted to meet almost any con- 

 ditions. Owing to its drooping habit the close- 

 fitting petals form a most perfect little roof to 

 protect the delicate essential organs. A few 

 weeks later, when the Crocuses put in an appear- 

 ance, there will be more sunshine, but the weather 

 is still in an uncertain state. Note the white 

 protecting sheath which encloses the whole shoot 

 until w r armer conditions make it safe for the 

 leaves and flower-buds to venture out. When 

 quite open the Crocus blooms face right up to 

 the sky, and are exceptionally exposed, but it is 

 only in direct response to the solar rays that the 

 flower will display its shining corolla. On dull 

 threatening days the floral envelope is tightly 

 closed, so that there is no possibility of any harm 

 coming to the golden anthers. In much the same 

 way the golden-yellow Coltsfoot, one of the earliest 

 of our wild flowers, is so sensitive that it never by 

 any chance opens unless the day is bright and 

 warm. 



