48 
RURAL HOURS. 
Followed an old wood road for some distance. Squirrel-cups 
in abundance ; though very regular in other respects, these little 
flowers are not all colored alike : some are white, others pink, 
lilac, or grayish blue. They are a nice little flower, with a mod- 
est, unobtrusive air, which is very engaging. "When they first 
appear, they shoot up singly, each blossom alone on its downy 
stalk ; but now they have gained courage, standing in little groups, 
gleaming gayly above the withered foliage. Their young downy 
leaves do not show yet, although a few of last year's growth are 
found, in a half-evergreen state. One often sees these flowers at 
the foot of trees, growing on their roots, as it were ; and perhaps it 
is this position, which, added to their downy, furred leaves and 
stems, has given them the name of squirrel-cups — a prettier name, 
certainly, for a wood flower, than liverwort, or its Latin version, 
hepatica. 
The small yellow violets are springing up ; they also show their 
golden heads before their leaves are out. It seems singular that 
the flower, which is the most precious and delicate part of the 
plant, should ever be earlier than the leaf, yet it is the case with 
many plants, great and small ; among trees it is very common. 
Doubtless there is a good reason for it, which one would like to 
know, as the learned in such matters have probably found it out. 
The arbutus is now open everywhere in the woods and groves. 
How pleasant it is to meet the same flowers year after year ! If 
the blossoms were liable to change — if they were to become capri- 
cious and irregular — they might excite more surprise, more curiosi- 
ty, but we should love them less ; they might be just as bright, 
and gay, and fragrant under other forms, but they would not be 
the violets, and squirrel- cups, and ground laurels we loved last 
