WILD SPRING FLOWERS, 
123 
gen ; and according to this view, the following 
is the proportion recommended : — 
lbs - __ lbs. of bread. 
200 Wheat flour, contain of nitrogen as much as 266 
100 Beet-root, ,, „ 21 
21 Beans, or Peas, ,, „ 28 
315 
This calculation shows that the proportion 
thus recommended, represents, in the amount 
of nutritive properties, 3151bs. of bread, which 
is an important gain resulting from the ad- 
mixture of beet-root and pulse. 
The roots of the beet are also stated to be 
dried and ground, and sometimes used as " a 
supplement to coffee." 
Eranthis Memalis. Anemn^a „„„. 
anemone nemorosa. 
WILD SPRING FLOWERS. 
THE WINTER ACONITE. 
The Winter Aconite belongs to the genus 
Eranthis, of which the following is the botani- 
cal character '.— Calyx of five to eight petaloid 
deciduous sepals. Petals small, tubular, with 
a long claw, two-lipped, inner lip very short. 
Capsules numerous, many seeded, stalked. — 
The Winter Aconite {E. Memalis) the only 
species, is a naturalized plant. 
E. hiemalis, Salisbury (winter-flowering 
Eranthis, or Winter Aconite), — Root (rhizoma) 
tuberous ; stem with two opposite sessile 
leaves just below the solitary flower ; root 
leaves on long stalks, five to seven parted, 
deeply cut into linear-oblong segments; sepals 
six to eight, oblong. A small herbaceous per- 
ennial, hailed by every one as one of the ear- 
liest harbingers of spring, and well known by 
its cup-shaped solitary yellow flower, seated, 
as it were, upon a .circlet of narrow leaves, 
but which in fact consists of a pair only of 
sessile leaves, each parted into narrow seg- 
ments. The flowers are yellow ; they grow 
from four to six inches high, seldom more. 
Flowers in February and March. Found 
naturalized in thickets in the south and other 
parts of England ; by no means a true native. 
It is of very simple culture, requiring only 
that the roots should not be too often disturbed. 
Miller says, " the roots may be taken up and 
transplanted any time after their leaves decay, 
which is generally by the beginning of June, 
till October ; when they will begin to put out 
new fibres ; but, as the roots are small and 
nearly of the colour of the ground, so if care 
is not taken to search them out, many will be 
left in the ground. These roots should be 
planted in small clusters, otherwise they will 
not make a good appearance, for single 
flowers scattered about the borders, of these 
small kinds, are scarce seen at a distance ; but 
when these and the snowdrops are alternately 
planted in bunches, they will have a good 
effect, as they flower at the same time." 
THE WILD ANEMONE. 
The botanical character of the genus Ane- 
mone is as follows : — Involucrum of three 
cut leaves distant from the flower. Calyx 
petaloid, of many segments. Corolla wanting. 
Carpels inserted upon a thickened hemisphe- 
rical or conical receptacle, not bursting, tipped 
with persistent, sometimes feathery styles. 
Four species are found in this country. 
Anemone Pulsatilla, Linnasus (Pasque 
flower). — Leaves doubly pinnate, leaflets 
pinnatifid, with linear lobes ; flowers solitary, 
erect, of six sepals ; involucrum sessile, cut in 
