is so common and conspicuous in our ditches-it grows to the height of four or five feet-that its rose-coloured flowers could not be missed. Examine its four-cleft stigmas-the other species all bear smaller blossoms, but you will scarce fail to detect their resemblance to one another. If you are at a loss to find the great hairy willow-herb, some village child will show you it under the name of "cherrypie." A no less conspicuous family-the St. John's worts-we notice next month, for we must now look into the cornfields ere the sickle clears the ground. Surely we find the upright stem and purple red flowers of the corn-cockle, or Agrostema githago, and no less certainly the brilliant blue composite heads of the blue-bottle, or Centaurea Cyanus, rivalling in bright colouring the golden yellow of the yellow ox-eye, corn marigold, or Chrysanthemum segetum. The centaurea belongs to a family of ancient repute for curative properties, and the name is derived from the fable which tells of the Centaur Chiron, healing the wound inflicted by Hercules by means of one of the plants of the tribe. Another pretty flower we may gather, the common flax or Linum usitatissimum; most know the graceful blue flowers of the lint "when in the bell." The lesser species Linum catharticum, or purging flax, common in most pasture ground, is a pretty slender plant, and before unfolding its little blossoms, droops them in most modest fashion. Geraniums, or crane-bills, which we have not seen before, but which we recognise from their relatives we do know, will probably be picked up, and trefoils too, also recognisable from their family resemblances. Among them the hare's

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foot trefoil, with its hairy looking heads, in which the little flowers are almost lost, and the strawberry headed, more conspicuous when in fruit. But here we must stop, hoping next month to make amends to some of our floral favourites for our apparent neglect of them in the long list for July.

AUGUST.

"Blessed be God for flowers;

For the bright, gentle, holy thoughts that breathe
From out their odorous beauty like a wreath
Of sunshine on life's hours."

ONE little plant we have almost let escape us amid
the profusion of "buds and bells," one, the tiny
blossoms of which well repay the attentive examiner
-it is the little Euphrasia, or eyebright, better
known for its reputed powers of giving cheerfulness
to the mind and brightness and clear sight to the
eyes than for its beauty. We must not miss it, for
we would take it as an emblem of the effect which
we trust these monthly papers may have had, and
may yet have, upon the thoughts and eyes of some
of our readers.-May we hope that weeds and wild
flowers are now seen by them that never were seen
before, and that, being seen, they are regarded with
different eyes and feelings than heretofore, at least
with greater interest. May we hope that to some
the "
pure sweet flowers of God" have breathed
bright, gentle, holy thoughts," that some have
learned to say and feel, "Blessed be God for
flowers!" and that, perchance, in some botanical