104 



THE BLACKTHORN". 



points of resemblance to the Hawthorn, possesses but 

 little interest for botanist, forester, painter, or antiquary. 

 In its natural state it is a rigid, wiry bush, remarkable for 

 no beauty of flower or foliage, and not making up for its 

 outward deficiencies by any inherent virtues residing in 

 fruit, stem, or root. 



Its very flowers, which are numerous and appear early 

 in Spring, can barely be called ornamental. Expanding, 

 as they do, before any other tree has ventured to show 



signs of returning life, we are inclined to look on them in 

 the light of daring adventurers, rather than harbingers of 

 the time which " purples all the ground with vernal 

 flowers." Their white ragged petals contrast strangely 

 with the sombre hues of the bare boughs around them — 

 they look cold and cheerless, and carry the mind back to 

 the frosts and snow of the winter which has just passed, 

 instead of forward to the bright days of spring which are 



