The Rescue of an Old Place 



blossom, and tufts of Goldenrod cling to 

 the hillside, and entice us to a climb 

 among the Pines. 



Here we find that the dry summer has 

 made havoc. Of thirty-five planted in 

 April we shall barely save a dozen. This 

 is discouraging, but we have gone bravely 

 to work to set some more, and try whether 

 August skies will be more propitious in 

 the way of rain. We have also put in a 

 few Savins, though we hear they take un- 

 kindly to transplanting. 

 of The little Oaks and Maples have 

 thriven, and are showing green against the 

 already withering grass. The soil is yearly 

 improving by letting it lie fallow, and the 

 foot sinks into the soft cushion the uncut 

 hay is making as a covering for the sand 

 and gravel. If it were not for endanger- 

 ing the seedlings, quite a crop could be 

 harvested. It is not soil the hill lacks 

 so much as rain ; but the long drought 

 parches and distresses the plantation, and 

 will do so till the trees can shade the 

 ground and preserve its moisture. 



The small Chestnut group of which I 

 boasted in the spring has made very little 

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