About this time, bees send forth their early swarms. Nothing can afford greater amusement than to watch the members of this industrious community in their daily journies from flower to flower.-See T.T. for 1816, p. 149; and for a list of trees, plants, and flowers, from which the bees extract their honey and wax, we refer to our volume for 1817, p. 149.

The speckled bees soft murmur thro' the air,
Explore the flowers and shrubs with nicest care;
And as they suck the nectar hang below,
Like drops of dew, that in the moonlight glow :
Then to their wicker dwelling eager haste,
In the warm corner of the garden placed.
So virtuous sages leave their native home,
In search of truth, thro' distant climes to roam;
Then back return with wisdom's precious spoil,
And give to us the produce of their toil.

KLEIST.

About the commencement of the month, the flowers of the lily of the valley (convallaria maialis) and the flowers of the chesnut tree (fagus castanea) begin to open; the tulip tree (liriodendron tulipfera) has its leaves quite out, and the flowers of the oak (quercus robur), the Scotch fir (pinus sylvestris), the honeysuckle, and the beech, are in full bloom. Towards the middle, the flowers of the white-thorn are quite out, and the mulberry tree (morus nigra) puts forth its leaves; the walnut (juglans regia) has its flowers in full bloom; the flowers of the garden rose also begin to open.

The ROSE.

O lovely rose, whose dewy leaflets blowing,
Are tended by the genial breath of morn,

And o'er whose breast, the early breezes borne,
Have left in crimson hue thy garments glowing:
The same kind hand that watches now thy growing
Shall lead thee soon a purer scene t' adorn,
Where, freed for ever from the galling thorn,
Thoul't bloom-alone thy fairer features showing.
Secure in loveliness that never dies—

Nor snow, nor hail, nor warring winds are there,

Nor changing seasons, nor inclement skies;
But, blooming safe beneath a kinder care,
Thou shalt in calm serenity arise,

For ever fragrant, and for ever fair.

METASTASIO.

The lilac (syringa vulgaris), the barberry (berberis vulgaris), and the maple (acer campestre), are now in flower. At the latter end of the month, rye (secale hybernum) is in ear; the mountain ash (sorbus aucuparia), laburnum (cytisus laburnum), the guelder rose (viburnum opulus), clover (trifolium pratense), columbines (aquilegia vulgaris), the alder (rhamnus frangula), the wild chervil (chorophyllium temulum), and the wayfaring tree, or wild guelderrose, have their flowers full blown. The germander (veronica chamadrys) is seen in hedges, and various species of meadow grass are now in flower. Heart'sease (viola tricolor) shows its interesting little flower in corn fields. The butter-cup (ranunculus bulbosus) spreads over the meadows; the cole-seed (brassica napus) in corn fields, bryony (brionia dioicay, the arum, or cuckoo-pint, in hedges, the Tartarian honeysuckle (lonicera tartarica), and the corchorus Japonica, now show their flowers.

The vegetable world is Thine',

Parent of SEASONS! who the pomp precede
That waits thy throne, as thro' thy vast domain,
Annual, along the bright ecliptic road,

In world rejoicing state, it moves sublime.
Meantime, th' expecting nations, circled gay
With all the various tribes of foodful earth,"
Implore thy bounty, or send grateful up

A common hymn: while, round thy beaming car,
High seen, the seasons led, in sprightly dance
Harmonious knit, the rosy-fingered hours,
The zephyrs floating loose, the timely rains,
Of bloom ethereal the light-footed dews,
And softened into joy the surly storms.
These in successive turn, with lavish hand,
Shower every beauty, every fragrance shower,

Herbs, flowers, and fruits; till, kindling at thy touch,

From land to land is flushed the vernal year.

The female glow-worm (lampyris noctiluca) is now seen on dry banks, about woods, pastures, and hedgeways.

The marine plants which flower this month, and which are chiefly found on sea-shores and in the crevices of rocks, are, buck's horn (plantago coronopus), which flowers the whole summer; burnet saxifrage (pimpinella dioica), sea arrow-grass (triglochin. maritimum) on muddy shores; the clammy lychnis (lychnis viscaria); the cerastium tetrandrum; scurvygrass (cochlearia), sea-kale (crambe maritima) on sandy shores; the sea-cabbage (brassica oleracea), the sea stork's bill (erodium maritimum), the slender bird's foot trefoil (lotus diffusus), the mountain fleawort (cineraria integrifolia) on chalky cliffs; and the sedge (carex arenaria) on sea shores.

The leafing of trees is usually completed in May.See T.T. for 1818, p. 132; and T.T. for 1817, p. 155, for some lines on planting trees.

This is the season in which cheese is made; the counties most celebrated for this article are Cheshire, Wiltshire, and Gloucestershire.

The corn is benefited by a cold and windy May, as it is too apt to run into stalk, if the progress of vegetation be much accelerated by warm weather at this season. In late years, some sowing remains to be done; and in forward ones, the weeds should be well kept under.

JUNE.

Remarkable Days

In JUNE 1820.

1.—CORPUS Christi.

THIS festival, the body of Christ,' was appointed in honour of the Eucharist, and always falls on

the Thursday after Trinity Sunday. It is called the Fête Dieu, or Corpus Christi, and is one of the most remarkable festivals of the Romish church, beginning on Trinity Sunday, and ending on the Sunday following. The common mode of celebrating this festival is by grand masses, and processions of the holy sacrament only; but at Aix, in Provence, a most extraordinary procession was first introduced by King Renè, which continued till the year 1788 or 1789, and was renewed again in the year 1803.-See T. T. for 1818, p. 117, for a description of this ceremony.

1.-NICOMede.

Nicomede was a pupil of St. Peter, and was discovered to be a Christian by his burying Felicula, a martyr, in a very honourable manner. He was beaten to death with leaden plummets, on account of his religion, in the reign of Domitian.

*4. 1738.-KING GEORGE III. BORN.

The annnal procession of mail coaches on this day is a pleasing, and, considered in relation to the extent of friendly and commercial intercourse promoted by these conveyances, a highly interesting sight. Previous to the year 1784, letters were conveyed from the metropolis to distant parts of the country, and vice versa, by carts with a single horse to each, or by boys on horseback; in consequence of which many robberies were committed, delays occasioned, and losses sustained. John Palmer, Esq., afterwards Comptroller-General of the PostOffice, devised a new plan, which he recommended to government, as calculated to increase the revenue, accommodate the public, and be highly advantageous to all parties. His proposal was acceded to, and the inventor has been rewarded with a large annual income. His plan was to provide a certain number of coaches, of light construction, each to be adapted to carry the various bags or packets of letters, which were destined for a particular part of

the country, or line of road. All the coaches were to leave London precisely at eight o'clock in the evening, and to arrive at and leave certain posttowns at specific times. Each coach is drawn by four horses, travels at the rate of eight miles an hour, including the time allowed for changing horses, &c.; and is provided with a coachman, a guard with fire-arms, and allowed to carry four passengers inside, and two outside. The systematic regularity, punctuality, superior safety, and expedition of the mail coaches of England, which are computed to run above 13,000 miles daily, render them peculiarly eligible and convenient for travellers. The property and profits of the post, or conveyance of letters, are vested in government, which contracts with the proprietors of coaches for the carriage of the mail; but these proprietors derive their chief profit from the fare of passengers, and carriage of small packets. There is a similar establishment in Ireland.

The English Post Office, whence the mails regularly start every evening (Sunday excepted) is now managed by two post-masters general, with an annual salary of £5000 a year, who have under them many other officers of their own appointing: as the secretary and resident surveyor, assistant secretary, two chief clerks of the first and second branch, with subordinate senior and junior clerks and surveyors; receiver-general, with a salary of £800 a year; chief clerk, at £500 a year, and six subordinate clerks; accomptant-general, whose salary is £700 a year; his deputy, at £500 a year; and six clerks, surveyor, and superintendant of mail coaches, at £700 a year; two assistants, and three clerks; the inspector of the mis-sent and dead letters, with assistant and clerks; solicitor to the post-office; superintending president of the inland office, with three presidents and vice-presidents; six clerks of the roads; two senior clerks and assistants; twenty-one sorters; twenty-four junior sorters; four probationary sorters;