GARDENING OVER A WINTER FIRE. 237 



know that this most welcome season is near ; 

 just a certain fragrance assures us that a bunch 

 of violets is not far off. The organization of 

 the natural gardener is very susceptible to these 

 influences, and when this impalpable aroma of 

 spring first greets him, he has a ^olid satisfac- 

 tion such as a stock dividend inspires in most 

 men. He is allured by it to draw on his rubber 

 boots and wade out into the snow-clad garden. 

 But, after floundering around for a time with 

 his pruning-knife, and having peeped into his 

 cold frames somewhat as the anxious mother 

 occasionally looks into her crib and trundle- 

 bed, where exuberant life is under the paralysis 

 of sleep he at last, chilled and shivering, gladly 

 takes refuge in the warmest corner by the ruddy 

 fire. 



But the awakened garden spirit is strong 

 upon him, and he cannot and will not resist its 

 spells. Old numbers of the American Agri- 



