VIOLETS 77 



The plants form an excellent border, green 

 at all seasons, and exceedingly pretty in the 

 time of flower. The lilac Scottish Primrose 

 (Primula scotica) is a native of the far north. 



The Sweet Violet (Viola odorata), Plate IV., 

 Fig. 2, grows in England in early Spring, on 

 banks and in woods; but in Scotland it is 

 almost unknown. It is of two colours, white 

 and violet. The petals and roots have emetic 

 properties, and blotting-paper stained with 

 blue syrup of violets is reddened when 

 immersed in a solution containing acid. 

 More common in the north is the Dog Violet 

 (Viola canina), which resembles the other in 

 general appearance, but is scentless, and the 

 flowers are larger and set on longer stalks. 

 It blooms along with the anemones and wood 

 sorrel. 



One of the very first of the Spring flowers 

 is the Lesser Celandine, or Pilewort (Ranun- 

 culus faaria), Plate IV., Fig. 3, a near 

 relation of the buttercups, as its Latin name 

 indicates. It has brilliant yellow, star-like 

 flowers, and soft, dark-green and spade- 

 shaped leaves. A bank covered with celan- 

 dines and creeping ivy is a charming sight, 



