II. 



HINTS ON FLOWER-GARDENS. 



April, 18i1. ' 



WE are once more unlocked fi'om the chilling embraces of the 

 Ice-King ! Apbil, full of soft airs, balm -dropping showers, 

 and fitful gleams of sunshine, brings life and animation to the mil- 

 lions of embryo leaves and blossoms, that, quietly folded up i% the 

 bud, have slept the mesmeric sleep of a northern winter — ^Apkil, 

 that first gives us of the Northern States our proper spring flowers, 

 which seem to succeed almost by magic to the barrenness of the 

 month gone by. A few pale snowdrops, sun-bright crocuses, and 

 timidly blushing mezereums, have abeady gladdened us, like the 

 few faint bars of golden and ruddy light that usher in the full radi- 

 ance of sunrise ; but Apeil scatters in her train as she goes out, the 

 first richness and beauty that really belong to a temperate spring. 

 Hyacinths," and daffodils, and violets, bespread her lap and fill the 

 air with fragrance, and the husbandman beholds with joy his orchards 

 gay with the thousand blossoms — ^beautiful harbingers of luscious 

 and abundant crops. 



All this resurrection of sweetness and beauty, inspires us with 

 a desire to look into the Flower-Oarden, and to say a few words 

 about it and the flowers themselves. We trust there are none of 

 " our parish," who, though they may not make flower-gardens, can 

 turn away with impatient or unsympathisdpg hearts from flowers 

 themselves. If there are such, we must, at the very threshhold of 

 the matter, borrow a homily for them from that pure and eloquent 

 preacher, Mary Howitt : 



