Perry's PI. Vary. Selectae, p. 71. — Bab. FI. Hath . p. 26. — Mack. Catal. of PI. of 
Irel. p. 74. ; FI. Hibern. pt. i. p. \4i>.—Soliddgo vulgdris, Gray’s Nat. Arr. v.ii. 
p.465. — Virgo, aurea, Ray’s Syn. p. 176. — Johnson’s Gtrarde, p. 430. 
Localities. — In woods, hedges, copses, grassy lanes, and on heaths and 
mountains. Not very uncommon in some counties, more rare in others. 
Perennial. — Flowers in July, August, and September. 
Root woody, with many long, stout, simple fibres. Stem from 
1 to 2 feet or more high, upright, but often decumbent at the base, 
variously zigzag, never quite straight, leafy, angular, solid, striated, 
purple ; slightly downy on the lower part, more so on the upper. 
Lower leaves oval-spear-shaped, stalked, more or less pointed, 
rough at the edges, distantly serrated, but towards the point almost 
entire, slightly hairy, dark green above, paler underneath, with nu- 
merous reticulated veins ; upper leaves smaller, alternate, nearly 
sessile, gradually diminishing to bracieas, which are downy like 
the flower-stalks. Flowers bright yellow, in a terminal, leafy 
cluster, which is either simple or compound. Scales of the Invo - 
lucrum upright, unequal, spear-shaped, downy, membranous at the 
edges, and finely fringed. Florets of the ray from 5 to 10, elliptic- 
oblong, unequally 3-toothed, spreading ; becoming revolute and 
tawny in decay ; disk prominent. Seeds brown, minutely hairy. 
Down rough. 
When bruised, the whole herb smells like Wild Carrot. It was 
formerly esteemed as a good vulnerary and diuretic ; but it has 
latterly fallen into comparative neglect. This plant will flourish in 
poor soil, and as the abundance of blossoms which it yields during 
Autumn affords a feast for bees when other flowers fail, it should 
be cultivated near every apiary. It is well adapted to ornament the 
banks of lakes and rivulets, where its panicles of bright yellow flowers 
appear to great advantage when reflected in the water. 
Solidago Cambrica of Hudson, Aiton, Willdenow, and Lind- 
ley, is considered by Sir J. E. Smith, Sir W. J. Hooker, and 
some other Botanists, as only a variety of S. Virgaurea. These 
plants, as Dr. Withering observes, are so variable in size, and 
other more proper characteristics, that it is most difficult to deter- 
mine species and varieties. 
THE CLOSE OF SPRING. 
“ The garlands fade that Spring so lately wove, 
Each simple flower which she has nursed in dew, — 
Anemones, that spangled every grove ; 
The Primrose wan, and Harebell mildly blue : 
No more shall Violets linger in the dell, 
Or purple Orchis variegate the plain: 
Till Spring again shall call forth every bell, 
And dress with humid hands her wreaths again. 
Oh, poor humanity ! so frail, so fair, 
Are the fond visions of thy early day ; 
Till tyrant passion, and corrosive care. 
Bid all thy fairy colours fade away ! 
Another May new buds and flowers shall bring: 
Ah! why has happiness no second Spring 1” 
C. Smith. 
