MAY. 107 



flowery splendor that forms a striking contrast with the 

 general nakedness of the plain. As the hues of this dra- 

 pery fade by the withering of the catkins, the leaf-buds 

 of the trees gradually cast off their scaly coverings, in 

 which the infant bud has been cradled during the winter ; 

 and the tender fan-shaped leaves, in plaited folds of differ- 

 ent hues, come forth in millions, and yield to the forest a 

 golden and ruddy splendor, like the tints of the clouds 

 that curtain the summer horizon. 



There is an indefinable beauty in the infinitely varied 

 hues of the foliage at this time, yet they are far from 

 being the most attractive spectacle of the season. "While 

 the trees are unfolding their leaves, the earth is ■ daily 

 becoming greener with every nightfall of dew, and thou- 

 sands of flowers awake into life with every morning sun. 

 At first a few violets appear on the hillsides, increasing 

 daily in numbers and brightness, until they are more nu- 

 merous than the stars of heaven ; then a single dandelion, 

 which is the harbinger of millions in less than a week. 

 All these gradually multiply and bring along in their rear 

 a countless troop of anemones, saxifrages, geraniums, but- 

 tercups, and columbines, until the landscape is draped 

 with the universal wreath of spring. 



May opens with a few blossoms of the coltsfoot, the 

 liverwort, the buckbean, and the wood-anemone, and a 

 multitude of blue violets of a humble species, such as we 

 see upon the grassy mounds in our old country grave- 

 yards, are scattered over the southern slopes of the pas- 

 tures. After May-day, every morning sun is greeted by 

 a fresh troop of these little fairy visitants, until every 

 nook sparkles with them, and every pathway is embroi- 

 dered with them. At an early period the green pastures 

 are so full of dandelions and buttercups that they seem 

 to be smiling upon us from every knoll. Children are 

 always delighted with these flowers, and our eyes, as they 



