CHAPTER II 



Spring our starting-point Bartholomeus on the influence 

 of Spring Our snowdrops What is an indigenous 

 plant ? Fair Maids of February Colt's-foot Rustic 

 pharmacy Medicinal plants The " Castel of Helth " 

 The u Foure Bookes of Husbandry" Necessity in 

 olden days of plant-knowledge The common butter- 

 bur, or pestilence- wort The fragrant butterbur 

 Uninvited visitors Wild arum Primrose-time The 

 Beaconsfield cult Appreciation of the poets Mealy 

 primrose Seedling leaves Germination of seeds 

 Vitality of seeds Daffodils Daffodil culture 

 Hyacinths Buttercups The lesser celandine Nature 

 study in our schools. 



OUR starting-point may well be from the 

 lengthening days of Spring, the verdant 

 season associated with the idea of renewed life, 

 though on a moment's reflection we see clearly 

 enough that Nature has throughout the long wait- 

 ing-time of winter been but apparently dead, and 

 that months of quiet, steady preparation have been 

 necessary to bring us at last to the opening bud, 1 



1 " Mighty Flourra, goddes of freshe floures, 



Whiche clothed hast the soyle in lousty grene, 

 Made buddes springe with his swete shoures, 

 By influence of the sonnes so sheene." 



LYDGATE. 



37 



