AN OLD ROAD. 61 



gone, saw us on this same old road bound 

 for one of the places where we thought our- 

 selves most likely to find a few (possibly a 

 pint or two, but more probably a handful 

 or two) of these humble but spicy fruits. 

 Not that the plants were not plentiful 

 enough in all directions, but it was only in 

 certain spots (or rather in very uncertain 

 spots, since these were continually shift- 

 ing) that they were ever in good bearing 

 condition. We came after a while to un- 

 derstand that the best crops were produced 

 for two or three years after the cutting off 

 of the wood in suitable localities. Letting 

 in the sunlight seems to have the effect of 

 starting into sudden fruitfulness this hardy, 

 persistent little plant, although I never 

 could discover that it thrived better for 

 growing permanently in an open, sunny 

 field. Perhaps it requires an unexpected 

 change of condition, a providential nudge, 

 as it were, to jog it into activity, like some 

 poets. Whatever the explanation, we used 

 now and then in recent clearings (and no- 

 where else) to find the ground fairly red 

 with berries. Those were red-letter days 

 in our calendar. How handsome such a 



