April 6—Cowslips nearly in bloom.
April 7—Gold-finches seen; also the purple finch.
April 8—Pine warbler seen.
The epigæa (trailing arbutus) nearly in bloom. "The earliest peculiarly woodland, [2] herbaceous flowers are epigæa, anemone, thalictrum (or meadow rue), and, by the first of May, the violet."
April 9—Cowslips [3] (not a woodland flower) in bloom, "the first conspicuous herbaceous flower, for that of the skunk cabbage is concealed in its spathe."
FOOTNOTES:
[2] Note.—Further to the west and extending at least to Wisconsin, the following list of early woodland flowers may take the place of the above, blooming in the order given: Erigenia (or harbinger of spring), hepatica, bloodroot, and dog-tooth violet, or perhaps the dicentra (Dutchman's breeches) may come before the last.
The skunk cabbage, which is not a woodland flower, and therefore not included in the above list, is the first flower probably in all New England and the northern states.
[3] Note.—In the West several conspicuous flowers, particularly the pretty hepatica, precede the cowslip.