March. 
26 
and sowing ; for he looks for a rich return in Autumn. 
He prizes the dusty day, for he bears in mind that 
“ A peck of March dust is worth a king’s ransom.” 
March, which, with the Ancients, was the first month 
in the year, takes its name from Mars, the god of war, 
as it was the month in which wars and expeditions 
were usually undertaken, both by the Romans and the 
Goths. It was called by the Romans, Martins. Our 
Saxon forefathers termed it Lenet-monat, i.e., Length 
Month, in reference to the lengthening of the days at 
this season, which is the origin also of the term Lent. 
March is represented as a man of fierce aspect, with 
blossoms and a basket of seeds on his left arm, and, 
in his right hand, the sign of Aries, or the Ram. 
With March we now have a large selection of wild 
flowers from which to form a bouquet. Chief among', 
all are the fragrant primroses and the sweet-scented 
wood violets (purple and white), which impregnate the 
very winds with their fragrance. The daisy (or day’s 
eye, as the Saxons called it), and the marsh marigold 
brighten the fields. The hardy wind-flower or wood- 
anemone (some snow-white, and others tinged with a 
delicate pink or blue), the germander-speedwell and 
ivy-leafed veronica, with others, may be seen in the 
woods, or on the bare hill-side, soon, however, to pass 
away, and be replaced by other flowers, bearing the 
more brilliant tints of Summer. 
