THE CUCKOO FLOWER.

Cardamine; L. Le cresson; Fr. Die gauchblume; Ger. Schuimblad; Dutch. Cardamindo; Ital. Cardamina; Sp. Lugobiü Kres; Russ. Rzezucha polna; Pol.

"When daisies pied, and violets blue,

And lady's smocks all silver white,

And cuckoo-buds of yellow hue,

Do paint the meadows with delight."

SHAKSPEARE.

THE flower which we have here chosen to name the Cuckoo-flower, is one of the earliest of those numerous plants, which, blooming at the season of the cuckoo's arrival amongst us, have received that distinction, in something like the same manner in which they may be called Spring-flowers. It is also commonly known as Lady's Smock, because, says Sir James Smith, where it grows profusely, it presents the appearance, at a little distance, of a quantity of linen laid out to bleach; it is more properly common Bitter-cress. Its flowering tops have been recommended in medicine, and at one time it enjoyed a high reputation for its medicinal properties, but its efficacy is very doubtful, and it is now entirely excluded from the list of materia medica.

The Cuckoo-flower makes its appearance in April, and is in its most perfect state about the middle of May. In works on scientific botany this species is stated to be an inhabitant of moist meadows, but it does not confine itself to such situations, for we have noticed it growing abundantly on the banks of streams, and frequently with the lower part of the stem submerged, and sometimes

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the flower alone visible above the surface of the water, in the middle of a brook. The flower is almost white, inclining to a pale bluish colour. Shakspeare's term, "silver white," is very appropriate, as it is seen rearing its head above the clear and shining streamlet. The flower is well known, is a great favourite among children, and produces a cheerful effect at the beginning of the floral season.

Seldom indeed is this flower made mention of in the productions of the bard, so that we are obliged to be content with an anonymous sonnet, addressed to it on its first appearance.

Bright flower! how gladly do we welcome thee!
Attendant on the early steps of Spring,
Who in her train doth ever kindly bring
Thousands of blooming guests; around we see,
The primrose and the pale anemone,

In every wild wood or shady grove;
And the golden celandine, as we rove
Through verdant meadows, or upon the lea,
With many other gifts from Flora's hand,
Whose perfect skill is seen in simplest flower
That blooms in wilds unknown or lady's bower,

Deck hill and dale of this our native land.

We welcome thee, O! cheerful Cuckoo-flower!
As on the streamlet's brink we see thee stand.

MS.

The Cuckoo-flower is frequently cultivated, when it becomes double, and it then varies in colour from white to delicate purple; and, as the flowers do not in that condition produce seed, the leaflets throw out roots when they come in contact with the soil, and thus the plant is propagated; "a most beautiful instance," observes Dr. Deakin, "of the provision made for the perpetuity of

particular species; for when by luxurious feeding the flowers of this plant become double, from the expansion of its parts of fructification into petals, they consequently become barren, so that, if other means were not substituted, there would be no further increase of the plant."

There are other species of the Cuckoo-flower, but we shall only notice the large flowered bitter cress (Cardamine amara), which is not so often found as the former kind, but is far from being uncommon. It is very seldom observed in the open meadow, except in moist situations, but limits itself to brooks and ditches. It has a general resemblance to C. pratensis, but is readily distinguished from it by the yellowish tinge of its petals, and by the broad deeply-toothed leaflets of the upper leaves, while the upper leaves of C. pratensis are somewhat feather-shaped, and similar to those of Hottonia palustris, or Featherfoil, which flowers in like situations in July.

The generic name of this flower is compounded of two Greek words, which signify to strengthen the heart, in allusion to the supposed strengthening qualities which the genus is said to possess.

The Cuckoo-flower (Cardamine pratensis) is placed in the class Tetradynamia and order Siliquosa in the Linnæan system, and in the order Crucifera in the Natural system.

THE FORGET-ME-NOT,

Myosotis; L. Gremillet ou Scorpionne: Fr. Vergiss mein nicht; Ger. Kruidig muizenoor; Dutch. Orecchio de topo; Ital. Miosota; Sp. Myosota; Port. Dukowka; Russ. Forgjæt mig ej; Dan.

"That name, it speaks in accents dear
Of love, and hope, and joy, and fear ;
It softly tells an absent friend
That links of love should never rend;
Its whispers waft on swelling breeze,
O'er hill, and dale, by land and seas,
Forget-me-not!

Gem of the rill! we love to greet
Thy blossoms smiling at our feet.
We fancy to thy flow'ret given
A semblance of the azure heaven;
And deem thine eye of gold to be
The star that gleams so brilliantly."

BOUQUET DES SOUVENIRS.

THE romantic story with which the Forget-me-not is connected, has made it known to thousands who, perhaps, would never otherwise have become acquainted with its existence. Independent, however, of the fame thus attached to it, when once seen and noticed, its own beauty would gain for it a place in the memory. The bright blue of the flowers, and their rich golden centres, render them individually an object to be admired; and as they gradually unfold themselves at the curled extremity of the stem, where they are ranged in two rows, and alternately, on footstalks, their appearance is truly beautiful; but when the plants in bloom are so numerous as to form a sort of fringe on the margin of a rivulet, as we have seen them, words cannot convey

an adequate idea of the effect. They are, in truth, very ornamental to our streams and ditches, and cannot fail to win the favour of every rambler who strolls where is seen,

"By rivulet, or spring, or wet road-side,

That blue and bright-ey'd flow'ret of the brook,
Hope's gentle gem, the sweet 'Forget-me-not."

The incident already referred to as having rendered this flower so well known, and which we are told gave rise to its present name, is said to have occurred on the banks of the Danube. Two betrothed lovers were strolling along, on a pleasant summer's evening in the delightful month of June, engaged in agreeable and affectionate conversation, when they observed the pretty flower of the water scorpion grass apparently floating on the water. The bride elect looked upon the flower with admiration, and, supposing it to be detached, regarded it as being carried to destruction; her lover, regretting its fate, and wishing to preserve it, was induced to jump into the river; but as he seized the flower, he sunk beneath the stream: making a final effort, he threw the flower on the bank, repeating, as he was sinking for the last time, the words "vergiss mich nicht.” Since this event, the Germans have called the flower Vergissmeinnicht, and we, translating the word, Forget-me-not.

The circumstance whence this flower derived its name, and the name itself, have made it a favourite with German poets. Goethe, in his "Lay of the Imprisoned Knight," represents it to be the choice flower of the lady whose praises are rehearsed. We insert Lord F. Leveson Gower's translation of these lines.