OCTOBEB. 



183 



house, the cherries are gathered and consumed, 

 and the store of apples, destined for winter use, 

 are either taken from the tree, or are ready for 

 harvesting. But the wild berries grace the 

 hedges by thousands, and ghmmer among tlie 

 rain-drops like jet and ruby mingled with 

 crystal. The clear berries of the nightshade 

 are outshone by the beautiful red clusters of the 

 berries of the guelder rose, and contrast with 

 the deep opaque red fruits of the bryony, or 

 the more orange-tinted branches of the moun- 

 tain ash. Tlie^scarlet haws and hips, the black- 

 berries, the rose-tinted fraits of the spindle 

 tree, lying open and displaying the bright 

 orange-coloured seeds, arc all plentiful now in 

 the good greenwood; and when we consider 

 the fruits of earth which are laid up for man, 

 and m-ark the preparation of food for the fowls 

 of heaA-en, may we not say with the psalmist, 

 "Thou crownest the year with thy goodness?" 



It has been observed of our native fruits, 

 that white berries are commonly sweet, red 

 ones sour ; blue, of a sour, mixed with a sweet 

 flavour ; and black are either almost tasteless, 

 or poisonous. But several of our scarlet berries 

 are poisonous too, and should never be tasted 

 by anv who do not understand their properties. 



The ivy, {Iledera helix,) which mantles over 

 the old ruins, or climbs to the highest bough of 

 the oak of the forest, is now displaymg its 

 clusters of green blossoms ; and the bees which 

 still venture to leave their retreats, when the 

 mormng sun shines out brightly, seem highly 



