OCTOBER. 301 



springing, flowering, and seeding, have, at length, 

 brought to maturity the rudiments of a future pro- 

 geny, which are now to be committed to the foster- 

 ing bosom of the earth. Seeds are scattered by the 

 hand of Nature in various manners. The winds 

 which at this time arise, disperse far and wide many 

 seeds which are curiously furnished with feathers, 

 or wings, for this purpose. Hence, plants with such 

 seeds are, of all others, the most universally to be 

 met with; as dandelions, rag-wort, thistles, etc. 

 Other seeds, by means of hooks, lay hold of pass- 

 ing animals, and are thus carried to distant places ; 

 as the bur. Many are contained in berries, which 

 are carried about by birds. The seeds of some trees, 

 as the maple, sycamore, etc. exactly resemble the 

 wings of dragon-flies, being placed in pairs. Thus 

 carefully has Nature provided for the distribution 

 and propagation of plants. 



Trees generally lose their leaves in the following 

 succession: walnut, mulberry, horse-chestnut, syca- 

 more, lime, ash; then, after an interval, elm; then 

 beech and oak ; then apple and pear trees, sometimes 

 not till the end of November; and lastly, pollard oaks 

 and young beeches, which retain their withered 

 leaves till pushed off by the new ones in spring. 



RURAL OCCUPATIONS. 



The gathering and housing of potatoes, carrots, 

 beet-root, and Sweedish turnips, find much employ- 

 ment. There is also considerable ploughing done, 

 26 



