PLANTS GROWING IN LIGHT SOIL. 207 



to govern them, again as the animal world they defy any law 

 that interferes with their individuality. 



The spring beauty is familiar to many of us and as we recall 

 it to the mind we connect with it a shrinking type of loveliness. 

 Were it not for its delicate venation, and the difference in its 

 leaves and growth, we should almost confuse it with the anem- 

 one. In woods, often by running streams, and in exposed 

 places it blooms abundantly. It closes in cloudy weather. 



LIVER-LEAF. HEPATICA. 



Hep at tea Hepatic a. 



FAMILY COLOUR ODOUR RANGE TIME OF BLOOM 



Crowfoot, Pijikish blue^ or white. Fragrant. Mostly east. Early spring. 



Flowers: solitary; growing on long scapes. Calyx: of six, or more 

 coloured sepals which are frequently mistaken for petals, as the involucre is 

 inconspicuous and adheres closely to the flowers in the manner of sepals. 

 Petals: none. Stamens: numerous. Pistils: numerous. Leaves: from the 

 base ; rounded ; three-Iobed ; mottled with purple ; evergreen. Scape : cov- 

 ered with a fuzz. 



" Brave little wilding, herald of the spring ! 



First of the beauteous tribes that soon will troop 

 Singly, in pairs, or in a joyous group, 

 O'er sunny slope or sheltered bank ; or cling. 

 By their slight fibres, where the bluebird's wing 

 Alone can visit them with graceful swoop ! " 



— Eliza Allen Starr. 



Father Winter is hardly well on his homeward journey when 

 we go to the woods or banks and notice a subtle fragrance 

 hovering about the air. Led by it we direct our steps and 

 find almost hidden by dead leaves, or perhaps by snow, our 

 lovely hepatica. It has pushed up its delicate bloom through 

 the rusty-looking leaves that have remained over the winter, 

 as though impatient to be the first to greet the spring. The 

 new leaves appear later in the season. Perhaps down below 

 they and the blossoms had a little disagreement about just 

 when was the proper time to arrive at the flower carnival and 

 the leaves scoffed at the idea of being first, so they delayed in 

 getting ready, and the flowers came on alone. Neither were 

 they imprudent ; the buds and stems are well wrapped up in a 



