"Then there is the ash, which has always been accounted so valuable, that one of our old poets says of it, the ash for nothing ill.' It is likewise very lovely in its foliage, (which means the leaves, you know,) particularly when it grows in shrubberies, or large clumps with other trees. It ought to be called the farmer's tree, for it is made use of in almost all his utensils; such as the ploughs, harrows, wagons, carts, and various other rustic tools. Therefore every farmer should plant ash trees on his grounds. The ancients used it, on account of its toughness, for handles to their spears; it was therefore called the 'martial (or warlike) ash.' The spokes of wheels and handles of tools are made of it. Dairy utensils are made of ash. It makes good fuel; for it will burn whether fresh or dry, and with very little smoke. Its ashes make good potash, which is very serviceable to soap and glass makers, bleachers, and dyers. The bark is used in tanning calf-skin; and in dry seasons, when there is but little grass, the cattle very willingly eat its leaves. So, you find what a valuable tree the ash is. Then, let me see-there are the sycamore, the hornbeam, and the holly. I know of no others that flower yet. The sycamore is a soft and very white wood, and is therefore used by the turner in making bowls and trenchers, and other utensils. Because of its lightness, it is sometimes used for cart and plough timber. The hornbeam is as tough as the sycamore is soft. It is used for yokes, handles for tools, and cogs for mill-wheels; and is much valued by the turThe wood will burn like a candle; for which purpose it was formerly used. The inner bark is much employed in the north of Europe for dyeing yellow. It is a quick-growing tree, and has a glossy greenness ner. FLOWERS OF APRIL. 63 which is very pleasant to look upon. Last of all, the holly, when full grown to the height of about thirty feet, is a very valuable tree. It is the whitest of all our hard woods, and therefore used for inlaying mahogany and other furniture; and sometimes it is stained black to imitate ebony. It is excellent for the uses of the turner, carver, and mill-wright, being extremely firm and durable. It is very beautiful to look at, with its bright scarlet berries; and, if it did but grow more quickly, would make the most valuable of all hedges. "Well, and now what garden flowers have we in bloom? There is the tulip, with its gaudy colors. It is no favorite of mine, because it is all finery; and has none of the sweet smell which makes the more humble flowers so lovely. When I think of a tulip I always think of one of those foolish fops and silly flaring young ladies that we frequently meet in company. They look very gay indeed; but, begin to talk with them, and you will generally discover that they know but little more than how to dress themselves; they are almost always ignorant-no brains. They are the tulips in a party: very fine, but have no smell. And now, having dismissed the poor tulip, let us think of some more." Adam said, "There are some auriculas out, and polyanthuses, and stocks." "Very well," said his father, "and what else are there?— think." Adam looked round, and added, that there were wall-flowers, daffodils, daisies, jonquils, and ranunculuses. "And columbines, anemones, crown-imperials, and cyclamens," said his father; "there are also the dog's tooth violet, gentianellas, hepaticas, and irises; the beautifully modest-looking lily of the valley; moth mullein; peonies; lychnis ; pilewort; saxifrage; and the polyanthus-narcissus. There's a hand 64 WILD FLOWERS IN APRIL. some list! Then, if you were to take the trouble to examine the hedges and meadows, you would find a wonderful variety. There is the dog's-mercury, woodstrawberry, ground-ivy, wood-sorrel, marsh-marigold, spurge-laurel, called also the daphne, or wood-laurel ; the white-campion, buckbean, needle-furze, stickwort, crab-apple, broom, sun-spurge, white and red nettle, wild cicely, wild germander, cuckoo-pint, harebella pretty little flower; the sweet wood-crow-foot, bugle-flower, and the wild chervil. Many of these are not worth searching; and I mention them only to show you what a variety the gardens and fields can now display." This long conversation took place while the father was thinning the apricot trees, where the young fruit grew too thickly in clusters. Those which he took off were saved to make into tarts; and they are very agreeable. Adam was employed in looking for caterpillars among the apple trees, which are easily found at this time of the year, because they are folded up in their webs. After this, they planted out a fresh bed of that delicious strawberry, called the hautbois, (pronounced hoboy.) Mr. Stock showed Adam how to set them, and at a distance of nearly a foot and a half asunder. This, and two or three other little jobs; such as attending to the young trees which had been engrafted, plucking off such shoots as had grown under the grafts, and taking away the screens from those wall-trees where the bloom had gone off, and the fruit was set; were the last that occupied them in the sprightly month of APRIL. CHAPTER V MAY. "Now the bright morning star, day's harbinger, Hill and dale doth boast thy blessing. Thus we salute thee with our early song, And welcome thee and wish thee long."-Milton. By four o'clock Mr. Stock had aroused all the sleepers in his house, singing to them in the words of the motto to this chapter, "Now the bright morning-star," &c. "Up! up!" said he, "you slug-a-beds! the lark is awake, and the bee is stirring; all but you are preparing to meet the rising sun. The flowers are getting ready to open their dewy buds, and the morning air is blowing softly upon them. Here is Mayday come in after the old fashion-cheerfully and bright: so we will keep it after the old fashion. Come! with you up ! make haste; we shall not begin it properly if we do not see the sun rise. Get up! Adam, let me catch you in bed in five minutes time, and I will give you such a cold pig as shall make you re member May morning for some time to come." Who could sleep after being called in this manner? I know but of one; but he has reformed, and therefore shall be nameless. In about a quarter of an hour, the whole family were dressed, and hatted, and bonneted, and had started off, Brushing with hasty steps the dew away, To meet the sun upon the upland lawn." All noticed how very grave every thing appeared; there was such a stillness, as if all the birds and beasts were waiting in fear, lest the sun should not rise again. Indeed, I have often thought that the first breaking of the dawn was very awful: the deep stillness-the solemn color-and the cautious unfolding of the light, is as if something very great and good was about to be done in heaven; and so there is; for we are to see the blessed sun. There is no solemnity like the first dawning of morn :— "That vast dumbness nature keeps Throughout her starry deeps, Most old, and mild, and awful, and unbroken, Which tells a tale of peace beyond whate'er was spoken." Leigh Hunt. When they arrived at the highest part of a rising ground behind their house, they looked over a tract of country, and the sea beyond it, and saw the great sun, slowly moving up, while all the clouds around were drawn up from it like long handfuls of wool, dyed rose color, and the edges of them dipped in gold; the wide sea was gold, and all the sky was gold. "We cannot wonder," said Mr. Stock, "that some people should worship the sun as their God, when we behold what a grand object it is, in its rising, and when it is at the height of noon, and in its setting: when we also |