256 
FLOWERING OF PLANTS. 
The Ardm, or wild-turnip, is now in blossm ; it is a curious 
plant, with the stamens and pistils growing on a spadix, a club- 
shaped organ surrounded by a spatha ; it is found in shady pla- 
ces. The root is valuable in medicine. The Calla palustris, 
or water arum, which is placed in the same class, is now in 
bloom ; this is of the same genus as the Egyptian lily. 
The Aquilegia, or wild columbine, with its horned nectaries, 
is found hanging in rich clusters from the clefts of rocks. 
FLOWERS OF SUMMER. 
The plants which are now in blossom are so numerous, that 
we can mention only a few of the most common, or most strik- 
ing. 
A well known shrub, the elder, (Sambuccs,) is now found 
along the sides of hedges, or on the margin of brooks, and in 
the meadows ; the Rubcs, or raspberry, the Ranunculus, or 
butter-cup, the Cynoglossum, or hound’s -tongue, and the Trifo- 
lium, or clover. It is recorded in history, that when Saint Pat- 
rick went as a missionary, to preach the Gospel to the pagan 
Irish, “he illustrated the doctrine of the Trinity, by showing 
them a trifolium, or three- leaved-grass with one stalk; this, op- 
erating to their conviction, the Shamrock, which is a bundle of 
this grass, was ever afterwards worn upon this Saint’s anniversary, 
to commemorate this event.” 
In the meadows is seen at this time the Geranium maculatum, 
a showy flower, and almost the only American Geranium ; in 
the woods, the splendid ladies’-slipper, (Cypripedium,) and the 
wild mandrake, (Podophyllum,) a flower of curious appear- 
ance. 
The genus Convallaria, of which the Solomon’s-seal is an ex- 
ample, may now be found ; it is usually white, of a funnel form 
corolla. Some other species, as the lily of the valley, have a bell- 
form corolla. The various species of Vaccinium, of which the 
whortleberry is an example, are now in blossom ; the woods are 
ornamented by the snowy white cornus, or dog-wood flowers. 
In the early part of June the foliage of the trees usually ap- 
pears in perfection ; among the earliest are the willow, poplar, 
and alder ; next are the bass- wool, horse-chesnut, the oak, beech, 
ash, walnut and mulberry, which are not all usually in full leaf 
before the middle of June. At the summer solstice, a new race 
of blossoms appears ; as the roses, pinks, and lilies, with many 
other exotics. The Iris is found in stagnant M aters and in gar- 
Wild turnip, &c. — Flowers of June — Very numerous — Elder, &c — St. 
Patrick’s use of the Clover — Geranium, &c. — Trees in perfection — Blos- 
soms appearing at the summer solstice. — 
