2G0 
FLOWERING OF PLANTS. 
The mary-gold, so called from a fancied resemblance of the 
florets of its disk to the rays of glory around the Virgin’s 
head. 
On St. George’s day, (the patron saint of England,) the blue 
bells, there called field hyacinth, tinge the meadows and pas- 
tures with their deep blue color ; they are thought to afford an 
emblem of the empire of the ocean, over which England as- 
sumes the rule. 
The St. John’s-wort blossoms near that saint’s day. The 
scarlet Lychnis, called the great candlestick, or candle, (Can- 
delabrum ingens,) lighted up for St. John the Baptist, who was 
a burning and a shining light. The w r hite lily expands about 
the time of the annunciation to the Virgin Mary, affording ano- 
ther coincidence of the blossoming of white flowers at the festivals 
consecrated to the mother of Christ. The roses of summer 
are particularly said to fade about the period of St. Mary Mag- 
dalen’s day. 
The passion flower is said to blossom about Holy Rood day. 
Allusions to this day being frequently found among writers of 
former days, it may be well to inform you that according to the 
legends of the Romish church, the cross on which our Saviour 
was crucified was discovered in the year 326, by Helena, the 
mother of Constantine, who is said to have built a church on 
the spot where it lay. The w'ord Rood signifies the Cross ; thus 
this day is the day of the Holy Cross. 
It was during the middle ages, when the minds of men Were 
influenced by the blindest superstition, that they thus imagined 
every operation of nature to be emblematical of something 
connected with their religious faith. Although these supersti- 
tions are trifling and absurd, they are interesting as connected 
with the annals of the human mind, and as shewing us the ori- 
gin of many names of plants. Had the superstitious monks 
and nuns, who were the authors of these conceits, and at that, 
time the most learned part of the community, been possessed 
of as much knowledge as most children in our country, they 
would have known that plants bloom earlier or later, according 
to various circumstances of climate ; and that a flower which 
in Italy blossoms as early as February might not appear fn 
England before April ; while the day of the Saint which the 
flower was supposed to commemorate, would occur at the same 
time in both places. 
During the middle ages men imagined the operations of nature con- 
nected with their peculiar religious tenets — Ignorance of the monks and 
nuns. 
