




DIAL OF FLOWERS. 353 
its catkins, and not rarely the early-blooming 
Crowfoot shews the blue tips of its clusters of 
blossom. March boasts aricher Flora; then 
the Violet delights us with its fragrance; the 
Mezereon offers its peach-coloured flowers, and 
the Primrose leads on a long train of the charm- 
ing children of Spring. These now continue 
to advance in increasing numbers, displaying, 
especially in May and June, their highest splen- 
dour; till at length the Meadow Saffron takes 
leave of inclement Autumn, and, saturated with 
rain, the Mosses acquire fresh vigour, and open 
to the botanist a new field for investigation. 
Not less different than the period of flower- 
ing is the time of the opening and shutting of 
flowers. Some plants habitually open and close 
their flowers by turns; others are governed in 
these respects by the weather; others again, 
by the length or shortness of the day: while 
some open and shut at certain hours, and thus 
farnish materials for composing the Dial of 
Flowers. 
According to the observations of later botan- 
ists, the flowery crown of plants serves, among 
other things, to envelop the tender organs of 
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