MAY, 1883. 355 



an incredulous smile creeping over the cheek of our 

 reader ; so we can only assure him that, although we 

 have not seen what we state as having occurred, we can- 

 not do other than believe it ! 



What a change the last month has made over the face 

 of the country, and how much our relative position has 

 changed during that time ! Whereas five weeks ago we 

 were really further advanced than they were in the South 

 of England, to-day we are much behind in many depart- 

 ments of vegetation, although our braird is as vigorous 

 as any. Three weeks ago the apple orchards of England 

 were heavy with bloom; to-day the apple trees of our 

 locality are only now at their best. The heavily-freighted 

 standards under the shadow of the scaur are very dainty, 

 but just see those three old veterans in the schoolhouse 

 garden ! In one the mass of pink and white bloom 

 entirely conceals the wood and leaves, and Millais would 

 have despaired of depicting one tithe of the brilliant 

 bunches of blossom. 



Still the craik or landrail must feel itself like a 

 precocious genius creking before its time in a backward 

 world ; and as its harsh voice reaches us now from the 

 more vigorous undergrowth of a young plantation, now 

 from the longer grass of a protected bank, we feel 

 inclined to stroll over and mention casually that we con- 

 sider such precocity to be youthful folly unable to read 

 the signs of the times. Why should you come before 

 the vegetation is ready to hide you, as your gentle eye 

 glints over the top of the braird above which you are 

 peering on tiptoe ? You little fool, keep to the heavily- 

 clad ditches or the luscious south, and don't announce 

 your unmelodious message until the world is ready to 

 receive you and it ! 



u 



