204 
SUMMER FLOWERS. 
they are the workmanship of the same hand that created the host 
of heaven. 
The Arum, or wild-turnip, is now in blossom ; it is found in shady 
places. The root is valuable in medicine. The Calla palustris , or 
water arum, abounds in wet grounds. 
The Aquilegia, or wild columbine, with its horned nectaries, is 
found hanging in rich clusters from the clefts of rocks. The early 
garden flowers are the snow-drop, crocus, crown-imperial, violet, 
primula, polyanthus, daffodil, and others of the narcissus genus. 
Flowers of Summer. 
The plants which are now in blossom are very numerous; we will 
mention a few of the most common and interesting. 
A well-known shrub, the elder, (Sambucus,) is now found along the 
sides of hedges, or on the margin of brooks, and in the meadows; 
the Rubus, or raspberry, the Ranunculus, or butter-cup, the Cynoglos- 
sum, or hound’s-tongue, and the Trifolium, or clover. It is recorded 
in history that when St. Patrick 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 operating to their conviction, the Shamrock, which is a bundle 
of this grass, was ever afterward worn upon this Saint’s anniver¬ 
sary, 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 man¬ 
drake, (Podophyllum,) a flower of curious appearance. 
The genus Convallaria, of which the Solomon’s seal is an exam¬ 
ple, 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 appears 
in perfection; among the earliest are the willow 7 , poplar, and alder; 
next are the bass-wood, horse-chestnut, oak, beech, ash, walnut, 
and mulberry, which are not all usually in full leaf before the mid¬ 
dle 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 waters and in gardens, ilmong native plants we now 
find the Asclepias, or milk-weed, of which there are some very 
showy, and some delicate species. The little bell-flower (Campan¬ 
ula) may be seen nodding over the brow T s of the rocks. 
The brilliant laurel (Kalmia) is now in bloom. The climbing vir- 
gin’s-bower (Clematis) hangs in graceful clusters of white flowers 
from the boughs of shrubs and trees growing by the side of brooks. 
The curious side-saddle flower, (Sarracenia,) w T hich was described 
under the class Polyandria, is now to be found in swamps and wet 
grounds. The mullein, with its long yellow spike, is very conspicuous 
in old fields and by the road-side. 
More flowers are in blossom about the time of the summer sol¬ 
stice than during any period of the year, until the blossoming of the 
autumnal plants. The hot breath of summer seems to wither the 
expanding flow 7 ers, the earlier ones fade away, and the late ones do 
Wild-turnip, &c.—Flowers of June—Elder, &c. —St. Patrick’s use of the clover— 
Geranium, &c.—Convallaria—Trees—Blossoms appearing at the summer solstice— 
What effect does the heat of summer have upon flowers? 
