Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1881-05-24
For the OXFORD DEMOCRAT


pected, but it is only when the blue-bird
and robin greet Us with their familiar notes
that we look with any degree OF confidence
for the expected guest Even then,
many fears minsle with our hopes, for are
not the birds sometimes mistaken: Does
not cold Winter often come back in his
fury and check their ill-timed songs:
But when, ON some southern slope, or
sunny, sheltered spot under the trees, we
find cluster Of delicate pink or
white blossoms almost hidden under
glossy green leaves, our doubts exist no
longer Spring has come, shlvery and
cold, perhaps, but yet the yeritaolc spring
For this flower is the Epigdd rcpeHs or
/ Trailing ArbutuS, dear to the heart OF
every New Englauder under its common
name OF Mayhower.
May-day excursiOniStS think themselves
amply repaid for a tramp through mud or
I melting snow, ir they can bring home 4
/ supply OF is fragrant blossoms, and no
| other blossoms, and 40 other flowers will
/ atone fog the lack OF .heSc. Il stands pre-
eminent in fragrance. FOR although nature
has given % m, = OF these Spri0g blossoms
a delicate beauty that seems particularly
their own. there are few that have even a
faint perfume.
Near the time Of the ar>t M1yAower,
there may bc seen in some old pasture or
in the edge OF the woods, a few broad
three-lobed leaves, somewhat bruised and
battered, as II they had borne the bruut OF
the winter Looking closely one may see
in their midst and close 20 the ground, a
little d0wny ball Iu some warmer lOca-
tion, one may al the same time tud the
iowny bail transformed into short stems
. covered with long. silky heirs, aud each
stem bearing at iis summit a star-likc fiow-
er. This ! the Livcr-lear or HspT'icr tri-
l.Lr. It. blossoms vary from perfect
white 20 a bright blue or purple, many
having only puTpii,h tiusc.
welcome aud lovely Is the hcpstica is
10 must yield ttc palm both TO beauty and
grace % lis u,s- relative The W.nd-Aower
or Incalar- ..aarasr, whose com,rs = lii-
lie later. II, blossom resembles that Of the
Lcp,tica. but Jroop> from ;he Stcm aud itN
petals sre ortcu marked on 'he outside
with delicate shades OF pink. Only close
observer notices that II has other leaves
than the who-l ot lace-ukc oucs that sur
round the stem Just below the flowers. II
&. >,id 20 have derived its name Of wind
h,wcr from m old fancy that {. opens only
when tho wind is blowing However that
may De. 4, mods aud trcmblcs IN the winds
o. MAY.
.'Nay with her handful OF ancmones'
HelSelfas shivcry"
The Addcr'S Tongue must not be overlook
ed. Indeed g. cannot De by one who search
6 the fields in early spring. Early in May
or even before. one may see in wet marShy
places. the curiousy spotted twin leaves
which gave the plant its name, while from
a stem between. yellow lily like flower
hangs it, graceful head II needs no bot
arist 70 tell q, the dover i lily, ,aithoush
We might learn from one itS botanical
name. Erg-lrpEisB AD,srjcFaHm.
Somewhat similar in appearance : the
T--ld4ri1 ssssI.fUel, better known TO All
country children a. Wild oats. II grows
abundanJly iu rather low, damp places IN
woods or fields, and looks not unlike the
rrain from which IL derives it, name.
school children adorn the desks OF their
teachers with buucheS Of itS pale yelio"
flowers and handfuls Of the blue aud white
yiolets. iu bloom At the same time. Every
body knows AID loves The violetS in all
their colors, blue. white and yellow. though
th>e last are comparatively rare. The
Others come early and fIl fields and road
sides with blossoms through nearly the
whole OF May.
Even more common than the violet in
many localities is a little pale blue flower
that looks up and sazes with so aTtless and
unassuming an expression that Innocence
seems naturally enough its name. 1t i
perhaps more commonly known IS Hou-
stonia, while its botanical cogRomen i
OIdeHlaEdid cerulea, very long name for
a tiny flower. Il grows in the open coun-
tIy, often Jhickly covering many square
rods. A neighbor seeing cluster OF its
bright eyed blossoms adorulng the center
table, asked doubtfully, rs not that L
weed:" weed, But we remember that
.our rarest flowers are somebody's com
monest, and forgive the unintentional in
suit 70 our little favorite whats in a
name:" weed is only common flower,
and this loses noue OF is beauty by being
common.
\ curious and lovely little flower is the
PJlyyalq DaRcifolia, or Fringed Polygala
Its leaves in shape and general appearance
are much Ike the bOx-berry, and above
these rise two or three blossoms, each
looking like rose-purple insect with its
wings spread for flight. \ large flower
for the little plant, but like all its sister
blossoms of the spring delicate rather
than snowy. 1t is found along our rivers
/ In or near the woods but so rarely that II
is not well known. BY the time this bios
I SONS, flowers are no longer rare. The
woods are full. There are the Trilliums
or Benjamins, the Groundnuts, whose tub
erous root children will search for and eat
as eagerly as Though it were pleasant to
the taste instead of the pungent thing it is,
the Ladies' Slipper with its curious bios