THE FLOWERS OF AUTUMN. 271 



like flowers covering the plant like golden spangles. 

 When the flower has perished it is succeeded by a dia- 

 mond-shaped red capsule, so that the plant is as pretty 

 with its red fruit as with its yellow flowers. 



Almost simultaneously with the tinting of the forest- 

 trees comes forth the last beautiful visitant of our fields, 

 the blue-fringed gentian. This little flower marks the 

 decline of autumnal vegetation. It begins to unfold 

 itself during the latter part of September, and may often 

 be found in the meadows after the November frosts have 

 seared the verdure of the fields, and changed the varie- 

 gated hues of the forest into one monotonous tinge of 

 brown and purple. 



When the woods are completely divested of their foli 7 

 age, and the landscape wants nothing but snow to yield 

 it the aspect of winter, the hamamelis, or witch-hazel, 

 still retains its yellow blossoms, in defiance of the later 

 frosts. Nothing is lively around it but the evergreens, 

 and no plant puts forth its blossoms after this, unless 

 some flower of spring should peep out unseasonably from 

 under the protection of a sunny knoll. The evergreens 

 are now in all their beauty, and we search the fields 

 in vain for aught but the presages of winter. 



