SPRING FLOWERS 93 



but in most cases the petals or sepals are white, just as 

 foam is white, because of innumerable gas-bubbles in the 

 cells. They may be literally spoken of as living foam. 

 Fourthly, there are brightly coloured Spring flowers, like 

 the tulips and irises, that make even the steppe country 

 resplendent, or the marsh marigolds in our ditches and 

 the wild hyacinths in our woods. 



One of the most obvious general facts is that all the 

 Conifers in North Temperate countries flower very early in 

 the year in March, April, and May. This is interesting 

 when we remember, what every one knows, that they 

 represent a much older stock than the ordinary flowering 

 plants. It is proved by their structure, and also by their 

 history in the rocks, that " Gymnosperms " are much more 

 ancient than " Angiosperms." Why should they all 

 flower early ? 



It is probable that numerous factors contribute to 

 this result. First of all, they are trees, with a large store 

 of potential energy and in a very different position from 

 annuals, for instance. Secondly, many are thick-skinned 

 evergreens, and therefore hardy, without the usual thorough 

 Winter's break in the assimilation processes. Thirdly, 

 they come of an old hardy stock, much tried for many 

 ages during the evolution of our present-day climate. 

 Fourthly, they are anemophilous that is to say, pollinated 

 by the wind, and requiring no insects to visit them ; they 

 are, therefore, not prejudiced by flowering at a time of 

 year when insects are scarce. 



A general fact to be borne in mind when thinking of 

 our early Spring flowers is that most of them blossom 

 so soon in virtue of stores previously acquired. It is 

 plain that trees have, on the whole, the start of herbs 

 because of their perennial stems and branches, which mean 

 not only a great store of potential energy, but also the 



