APRIL 



day the plow breaks the sod to-day. Where 

 the drift was deepest the grass is pressed 

 flat, and there is a deposit of sand and earth 

 blown from the fields to windward. Line 

 upon line the turf is reversed, until there 

 stands out of the neutral landscape a ruddy 

 square visible for miles, or until the breasts 

 of the broad hills glow like the breasts of 

 the robins. 



Then who would not have a garden in 

 April ? to rake together the rubbish and 

 burn it up, to turn over the renewed soil, 

 to scatter the rich compost, to plant the 

 first seed or bury the first tuber ! It is not 

 the seed that is planted, any more than it is 

 I that is planted ; it is not the dry stalks 

 and weeds that are burned up, any more 

 than it is my gloom and regrets that are 

 consumed. An April smoke makes a clean 

 harvest. 



I think April is the best month to be 

 born in. One is just in time, so to speak, 

 to catch the first train, which is made up 

 in this month. My April chickens always 

 turn out best. They get an early start ; 

 they have rugged constitutions. Late chick- 

 ens cannot stand the heavy dews, or with- 

 stand the predaceous hawks. In April all 

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