TRE SR OW DROP 
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prevailed in this country, this little blossom was dedicated 
to the Virgin Mary. It was called the Fair Maid of 
February, because it usually was in bloom on the second 
of that month, or Candlemas Day, which was the day 
kept in celebration of that on which the Virgin took the 
Holy Child to the Jewish temple, and there presented 
an offering. Some old writers call it also the narcissus 
violet, or the bulbous-rooted violet ; but in those days it 
was not a common flower, and only to be found in choice 
gardens. Evelyn mentions it as a rare flower, and calls 
it the snow-flower, or snowdrop. 
There are two species of snowdrop in the garden — the 
plaited snowdrop (Galanthus plicatus), and the common 
flower (Galanthus nivalis). The last is often considered 
indigenous, as it grows without culture in several parts of 
the United Kingdom. It is, however, certainly not an old 
English plant, though now pretty extensively naturalised. 
It is found sometimes in woods, but chiefly in orchards, 
into which it may have escaped from the garden. Who 
does not feel pleasure in finding it wild, or in seeing it 
in the small winter nosegay among the flowers of the 
lanrustinus and the crocus? And who is not willing to 
say with the poet, to its Maker : 
Make Thou my spirit pure and clear 
As are the frosty skies. 
Or this first snowdrop of the year. 
That on my bosom lies?’’ 
This flower is often in bloom from the month of Janu- 
ary until spring has quite taken possession of the land, 
and casting her flowery garlands over grove and hill, has 
converted it into one wide-spreading garden. It derives 
its name (Galanthus) from two Greek words signifying milk 
and a flower. 
A small white summer-blooming plant, the snowflake 
(Leucojum aestivum), which often adorns the moist mea- 
dows of England, very much resembles the snowdrop. Its 
chief mark of difference is that it has several blossoms on 
its stem, while the snowdrop is single-flowered. This 
plant may be found wild in the meadows about May or 
June. 
