c 106') CHAPTER XX.

APRIL is a miserable month, an intermediate, month, a month oftransition, a hyphen between the dead and alive produce of the year. There is also in this month a sensational change, indicating coin— cident resuscitation, the animal spirits awaken to a sense of growth, the windovvs of nature’s ark are opened and the dove sent forth for a green blade from the long covered surface of the snow-hid ver-' dure. April is a miserable month becauseya linger- ing host of prismoids dispute possession with surviv—- ing evidences of former warmth, which as they sneak away, dissolve in tears before approaching, spring, damping even the spirits.

MAY, with her Mayflowers, and warm intervals comes on with promise, and with changes; the em— ployments, the desires, and the prospects of the agriculturist merge into a renewed hope of renew- ing profits. The merry little bird “ sow your-wheat” is welcomed with the opportunity, and the plough furrows its map on nature’s plane, shewing the divi- sions ofcrops, and the water courses oft-heir borders. In May the retrospect of labor remembers the wood hauling month ofJanuary, the firm and frolic making ice of February, and having cut and hauled the ne— cessary fencing poles in March and put them up in April is content to enter botanical May with the flowers ofthe maple, the birch, the beech, and the poplar, and take the little bird’s word of admonition to “sow your wheat,” in full hope of an abundant reward for judicious labor and honest expectation.

The following list is divided into flowering months and will serve to begin a botany for Prince Edward Island, imperfectly it is true, as a chapter of her progress and prospects in the botanical character- istics of her fruitful soil. But without the assistance ofthe Herbarum peristus of Charlottetown, John Lawson, Esquire, the author would not have so con- fidently trespassed on the Latin precincts of the science ofthe herb ofthe field.