The Young Folks. 
Our Girly’s Garden. 
In our little girly’s garden 
Grew all sorts of posies ; 
There were pinks, and mignonette, 
Aud tulips, and roses. 
Sweet peas, and morning glories. 
A bed of violets blue, 
‘And marigolds, and asters, 
In girly’s garden grew. 
“There the bees went for honey ; 
There the birds sipp’d the dew ; 
And there the pretty butterflies, 
And the lady-birds flew. 
And there among her flowers, 
Every bright and pleasant day, 
‘In her own pretty garden, 
Little girly went to play. 
The Names of the Months. 
— — 
THEIR ORIGIN AND MEANING. 
Although the days of the week take 
their English names from the Saxon, the | 
months retain their Latin names, and 
the following gives in brief their 
 origin:— 
— January, — 
_January, from Janus, the deity whose 
‘temple in Rome was always open in time 
of war, and closed when the nation was 
at peace. The Dutch called it Laaw 
‘maand (frosty month), and the ‘Saxons 
“Wulf monath (wolf month). After the 
introduction of Christianity, it \ was 
called Se Aeftera geole (after yule). 
— February. — 
February, from Februa, a name of 
Juno, from februo, to purify. The Dutch 
‘called it Spokkel maand (vegetable 
‘month), and the Saxons Sprote cal (sprout 
kale), and subsequently Sol monath, or 
~ sun month, 
— March. — 
‘March, from Mars, the Roman patron, 
‘deity. The Dutch name was Lent maand 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
37 
(lengthening month), because the days 
were noticed to grow longer, The Saxons 
had the same name eventually, though 
at first they called it Hreth monath 
(rough month) the boisterous 
weather, 
from 
— April. — 
April, from aperio, to open, from the 
breaking open of leaf buds. Old Dutch 
name, Gras maand (grass month; Saxon 
Easter monath, from the fact that Easter 
generally fell in it. 
=> May. — 
May, from Maia, mother of Mercury, or 
magus, from mag, to grow, meaning the 
growing month. The old Dutch name 
was Blou maand (blossom month), and 
the Saxon Tri milchi (three milks), be- 
cause from abundance of feed cows 
could be milked three times a day. — 
— June. — 
June, from Juno, wife of Jupiter and 
queen of heaven. The old Dutch was 
Zomer maand (summer month), and the 
Saxon Sere monath (dry month). 
— July. — 
July, from Julius Caesar, who was born 
in it, the name boing given by Marc 
Antony. Before that, it was called 
Quintilis, or fifth month. The old Dutch 
name, Hooy maand (hay month), and the 
Saxon Maed monoth (meadow month) 
because in it cattle were turned out to 
feed. 
— August. — 
August, from Augustus Caesar, it being . 
the month in which he had all his 
successes and triumphs. The old Dutch 
name was Oost maand (harvest month) 
and the Saxon Weod monath (weed 
month), from the rapid growth of all kinds 
of vegetation—weed having a wider 
meaning than we give it. 
— September. — 
September, from septem, seven, it 
being the seventh month of the year, when 
the latter began in March. ‘The old 
Dutch called it Herst maand (autumn 
month, and the Saxons Gerst monath 
(barley month), or MHarfest monath 
(harvest month.) 
— October. — 
October, from octo, eight, as in Sep- 
tember. The Dutch name was Wyn 
maand, and the Saxon Win month, both 
meaning wine month, or month of the 
vintage. 
— November. — 
November, from novem, nine, as Sep- 
tember and October. Old Dutch name, 
Slaght maand (slaughter month), the 
month when beasts were killed to be 
saltered for winter use. The Saxons 
called it Blot monath (blood month), for 
a similar reason, though a more general 
name was Wind monath, from the pre- 
vailing gales. 
— December. — 
December, from decem, ten. See 
September, etc. Old Dutch name, Winter 
maand, and Saxon Midwinter monath 
both ot which explain themselves. Chris- 
tian Saxons altered the name to Se Aera 
geola, or ante- Yule—the month preceding 
Christmas. 
_Tonque Twisters 
Cricket critic. 
. She sells sea shells. 
Six thick thistle sticks. 
Flesh of freshly fried flying fish. 
A growing gleam growing green. 
_The sea ceaseth and it sufficeth us. 
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled 
pepper. If Peter Piper picked a peck of 
pickled pepper, where’s the peck of 
pickled pepper Peter Piper picked? 
Try repeating each of these sentences 
quickly half a dozen time. 
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