no 2T|)e (JKartren's .Storg. 



welcome news of sweet, returning spring," "the 

 precious key of spring " ; and most conspicuous- 

 ly by Shakespeare, who associates it with the 

 daffodil and violet in the flowers let fall from 

 Dis's wagon. Here, where it is comparatively 

 scarce under cultivation, its beauties have only 

 been sparingly sung by the poets, who neverthe- 

 less freely voice the praises of the snow-drop, 

 crocus, and daffodil. Among our native flowers, 

 the arbutus, violet, and gentian are freely singled 

 out by the poets, and the azalea, bloodroot, he- 

 patica, and cardinal-flower all come for their 

 share of appreciation. I do not recall any poem 

 on the spring beauty, the meadow-rue, the rue- 

 anemone, or the moss-pink. Lowell is poet- 

 laureate of the dandelion, and Emerson the bard 

 of the rhodora. The wind-flower, or anemone, 

 a well-known flower in American verse, would 

 become a favorite, if only from Whittier's breezy 

 lines : 



And violets and wind-flowers sway 

 Against the throbbing heart of May. 



Of all forms of cultivating flowers, rock-gar- 

 dening is the most fascinating. Within a small 

 space you may grow innumerable dainty plants, 

 which would be swallowed up or would not 

 thrive in the border delicate Alpines, little 

 creeping vines, cool mosses, rare orchids, and 



