DESCKiniOX OF THE TITLE PAGE. 



Our Artist has tastefully comMiicd in the wreath that a<l"rns her title page 

 several of our native Sprincr Flowers. The sinijile blossoms of ( hi/fovin Vinfinirn, 

 better known bv its familial name "Si'itisr. ItEAiTY," niav easilv be reeocrni/ed from 

 the ritrht hand tii^ure in the group of the lirst plate in the book. For a deseription of 

 it see page 16. 



Tlie tall slender flower on the left side on the title pjitre is PotfutHhi Camtifnisis, 

 (Var simpfcjr). This slender ti;iilinir plant may be found in open grassy thickets, 

 by road side wastes, at the foot of old stumj>s, and similar localities, with thecomnum 

 Cinquefoil or Silver lA'af. This last species is much the most attractive plant to the 

 lover of wild flowers. It aboimds in dry gravelly and sandy soil, courting the o|)en 

 sunshine, nxiting among stones, over which it spreads its slender reddish stalk, en- 

 livening the dry arid wastes with its silvery silken leaves and gay golden rose-shajjed 

 blossoms. 



The Potentilla family belongs to the same Xatural Order, Rosace.e, as the Straw- 

 beiT}', Raspberry, Blackberry and the Hose — a go<KlIy fellowship of the usefnl and 

 the beautiful amcmg which our humble Ciufpu'foil has oeen allowed to find a i)Iace. 



The little plant wcupying the lower portion of the i)late is Vinla sntjitUitn. 

 "Arhow L?:avf,i) Violkt." The anthers of the stamens are tiesh coloured or pale 

 orange; the slender j)()inted sepals of the calyx are of a bright light green, which form 

 a lively confrast to the deep purple closely wraj)ped pointed buds that they enfold. 

 The leaves are of a dull green, somewhat hairy, narrow, blu l at the ai)ex, not heart- 

 shaped as in many of the species but closed at the base and bordering the short 

 channelled foot-stalk. Amoiii!:our numerous species few ai-e reallv more lovelv than 

 " the Arrow Leaved Violet." Viola ovata and Viola villosa closelv rescml)le the above, 

 and probably are varieties of our i)retty flower. 



The violet, like the rose and lily, has ever been the poet's flower. This is not one 

 of our earliest violets; it blossoms later than the early white violet, V. rotuwlifolia 

 or than the early Blue Violet, V. cwulluta, or that delicate species V. striata, the 

 lilac striped violet, which adorns the banks and hill sides on sonu? of our plain lands, 

 early in the month of May. Later in this month and in the beginning of June we 

 find the azure blossoms of V. safjitfata in warm sheltered valleys, often among gron.i)8 

 of small pines and among grasses on sandy knolls and open thickets. The plant 

 grows low, the leaves on very short foot-stalks closely pressed to the ground ; the 

 bright full blue dowers si)ringing from the crown of the plant on long slender stems 

 stand above the leaves. ^ 



The petals are blunt, of a full azure Line white at the base and bearded. Among 

 many allusions to this favourite tl(jwer, here are lines somewhat after the style of the 

 older poets, addressed to early violets found on a wintry March day at Walthara 

 Abby. 



TO EARLY VIOLETS. 



Children of sweetest birth, 

 . ^ " Why do ye bend to earth 



' ' Eyes in whose softened blue, 



Lies hid the diamond dew ? 



Has not the early ray, 



Yet kissed those tears away 



That fell with closing day ? 



Say do ye fear to meet 



