NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 225 



Lycoperdon tuber, truffles, — in the Hanger and High- 

 wood. 



Samhucus ehulus, dwarf elder, wahvort, or danewort— 

 among the rubbish and ruined foundations of the Priory. 



Of all the propensities of plants, none seem more strange 

 than their different periods of blossoming. Some produce 

 their flowers in the winter, or very first dawnings of spring; 

 many when the spring is established ; some at midsummer, 

 and some not till autumn. When we see the Hellehorus 

 foetidus and Hellehorus niger blowing at Christmas, the 

 Hellehorus hyetnalis in January, and the Hellehorus viridis 

 as soon as ever it emerges out of the ground, we do not 

 wonder, because they are kindred plants that we expect 

 should keep pace the one with the other ; but other con- 

 generous vegetables differ so widely in their time of flower- 

 ing, that we cannot but admire. I shall only instance at 

 present in the Crocus sativus, the vernal and the autumnal 

 crocus, which have such an affinity, that the best botanists 

 only make them varieties of the same genus, of which there 

 is only one species, not being able to discern any difference 

 in the corolla, or in the internal structure. Yet the vernal 

 crocus expands its flowers by the beginning of March at 

 farthest, and often in very rigorous weather ; and cannot 

 be retarded but by some violence offered ; while the 

 autumnal (the saffron) defies the influence of the spring and 

 summer, and will not blow till most plants begin to fade 

 and run to seed. This circumstance is one of the wonders 

 of the creation, little noticed because a common occurrence; 

 yet ought not to be overlooked on account of its being 

 familiar, since it would be as difficult to be explained as the 

 most stupendous phenomenon in nature. 



*' Say, what impels, amidst surrounding snow 

 Cougeard, the crocus, flamy bud to glow ? 



306 



