JFlotoers anti JFrufts of Autumn. 315 



in his "Great Herball," as long ago as 1633, re- 

 fers at length to the North American aster, two 

 species being described by him (p. 489), one of 

 which, not previously mentioned, he states " is 

 to be esteemed for that it floures in October 

 and November, whenas few other floures are 

 to be found." Certainly, many of our native 

 species exceed in beauty the species mentioned 

 in the fourth chapter of the " Georgics " (Aster 

 amellus, the Italian starwort). The classic ref- 

 erence is altogether too pretty not to trans- 

 scribe : 



Est etiam flos in pratis, cui nomen Amello 

 Fecere agricolae, facilis quaerentibus herba. 

 Namque uno ingentem tollit de cespite silvam, 

 Aureus ipse ; sed in foliis, quae plurima circum 

 Fundunter, violas sublucet purpura nigrae. 



In Meades there is a flower Amello named, 

 By him that seeks it easy to be found, 



For that it seems by many branches fram'd 

 Into a little Wood ; like gold the ground 



Thereof appears, but leaves that it beset 



Shine in the colours of the Violet. 



I 



So highly was the aster's purple and gold es- 

 teemed that the flowers were used as offerings 

 in religious rites, as Virgil specifies in his further 

 reference to the Amello. 



Cheerful and colorful are the annual asters if 



