HAILING FAR SUMMER 369 



black hellebore are pale, and look paler by contrast with the 

 dark leaves of the old season's growth. The black hellebore 

 is a curious and interesting plant, but hardly beautiful ; but 

 the green hellebore has real grace, when it thrusts abun- 

 dantly from the carpet of dry brown leaves in a chalky 



V 



GREEN HELLEBORE 



beech-wood. These plants are close relatives of the garden 

 Christmas rose. 



Another early-blooming plant, often found on the same 

 soils as the hellebores, is the spurge laurel. It is a sparse, 

 woody plant, growing from one to four feet high, with ever- 

 green leaves much like those of the Portugal laurel, but 

 narrower. It is a close relative of the rare and beautiful 



