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THE AWAKENING— FIRST FLOWERS. 



After months of snow-covered ground, what more natur- 

 al than that one should feel a thrill of satisfaction at seeing 

 the first returning bird or finding the first flower . There is, 

 however, a difference of opinion as to which is the first 

 flower, some claiming one species, some another. Perhaps 

 I should say that this difference of opinion is really con- 

 fined to the second flower to bloom for it is almost univer- 

 salljr conceded that, in the northern half of the United 

 States, the common, lowly Skunk Cabbage first pokes its 

 curious blossom above ground; many, however, refuse to 

 consider this as a flower, — hence the dispute. 



A careful search of manj^ records and opinions shows 

 that a large majority favor Hepatica which coincides with 

 m}^ experience as I have always found these beautiful blos- 

 soms several weeks in advance of anything else except 

 Skunk Cabbage. 



Sometimes in January, more often in February and al- 

 ways by March we find these commonly despised flowers in 

 full bloom in marshy meadows. Curious things, — thick, 

 brittle-skiraied with a twisted point that seems to ha^'e be- 

 come bent and mis-shapen forcing its w/iy wp through the 

 frozen earth; such is the outward appearance, but this is 

 not the real flower, — just a spathe or protector for them. 

 To some it may appear almost sacreligious to mention the 

 beautiful calla lily in the same breath with skunk cabbage, 

 but the two are very closely related, the pure white face of 

 the calla being a spathe just as is the purplish, distorted 

 covering of the present species. 



Inside this spathe, we will find the real flowers clustered 

 about a very stout, corrugated spadix. Even though bloom- 

 ing so early in the season, skunk cabbage is largely depen- 

 dent upon bees and flies for the setting of its seed; the 

 staminate flowers are clustered at the top and the pistil- 

 late ones at the bottom of the spadix, the former maturing 

 first requires the services of flies as messengers to carry the 



