190 LUTHER BURBANK 



water above the snow to make the whole surface 

 a glassy sheet again, upon which scores of young 

 people had great sport with sleds and skates. 



During the long winters father, with Luther 

 and Alfred, often visited the woodlands where 

 the men were employed in chopping and pre- 

 paring the wood for burning the brick during 

 the following summer. During the summers 

 Luther used to help in the brickyard (generally 

 against his will) in turning numerous, long rows 

 of brick on edge to dry, but whenever oppor- 

 tunity was afforded, he engaged in building 

 windmills, water wheels and steam engines, mak- 

 ing statuary, pottery, etc., carrying on a variety 

 of chemical and other experiments that were of 

 more interest to him than turning brick on edge 

 a very arduous task when well done, and one 

 that always resulted in sore hands and aching 

 back and legs. 



A great source of delight to him were the ex- 

 cursions into the woods in summer time among 

 the waving boughs of maple, walnut, chestnut, 

 birch, beech, aspen, oak, and pine. These wood 

 roads wound through great gardens of moun- 

 tain laurel with glistening leaves and magnificent 

 crimson, pink, and white blossoms; near by was 

 Cumbery Pond, with its waters well stocked 

 with fish; the old "Slate Quarry"; the "Cinna- 



