MAY.

THE Snow-flakes fell less frequently, and at last were changed entirely to showers of rain. The grass began to turn green. The farmers were employed in sowing seed in the ground, which, during the last month, they had been preparing to receive it, by ploughing. Large bags of seed-grain were brought from the storehouses, and poured out, to be again committed to the ground, where it would shoot up, and grow, and bear fruit. The children of Mr. Milton's family had a piece of ground, which had been prepared for a garden, and the weather now permitted them to work in it almost daily. In the course of the last month, the bulbs which had been planted in the ground the preceding autumn, had sprung up, and the garden had produced snow-drops and crocuses; while the yellow narcissus had shown some of its flower-buds. These last had now advanced considerably, and, with the crown imperials,

made a very handsome appearance. About the middle of April, the children had planted the seeds of the chrysanthemum, love lies bleeding, evening primrose, white catchfly, African rose, gilia, sweet alyssum, mignionette, candy tuft, and Venus's looking-glass. It was necessary to rake the ground a little before sowing, as it had become hard on the surface by the frequent rains. These seeds had, some of them, made their appearance, and they now planted some others which they found were to be sown later. They were guided in some measure, in their garden operations, by a little work published a few years since by Mr. Breck, called "The Young Florist." This little work contains the directions for the seeds proper to be sown during each of the months, with many other hints which may be found useful to young gardeners. The seeds sown this month were the following:the convolvulus of several kinds, nasturtium, four o'clocks, immortal flower, poppy, French marigold, cock's-comb, lupin, lemon balm, sweet basil or lavender, double balsam, scarlet cacalia, schizanthus, thunbergia, purple jacobea. The children had concluded to unite in having one garden, rather than four separate

spots of ground; so that, by their conjoined labors, it was nicely taken care of. In the middle they had a large patch of the garden violet or heart's-ease, which, planted thus in a close mass, looked very beautifully, and sent forth a most agreeable odor. In suitable

spots in the garden, they had several flowering shrubs; among others the lilac and snowball, with the flowering almond and several species of spirea, some of which blossom early.

The first day of May had been very cold and cheerless, so that the children had not been able to go a Maying, as it is called. They therefore resolved to put off this expedition until the first of June, when the weather would probably be more suitable to a morning walk. They had, on some former occasions, thought to "do observance to the rights of May." But the cold, chilly, damp air, which made it necessary that they should wear their thick winter garments; the wet and muddy walking, and the scarcity of wild flowers in bloom at that time,―made them conclude, that, however appropriate the time might be in England and more favored climes for rural walks, yet, in our bleak New England, there was not much pleasure in Maying, and that