HARVEST AND GLEANING TIME 181 



everything above and below, rattling the crabs 

 off; and the beautiful red and yellow fruit lies 

 at the foot of the trees, not in gallons, but in 

 bushels, where the trees are numerous, and in 

 out-of-the-way spots that I know, to be covered 

 ultimately by drifting leaves, and finally ripened. 

 This is a matter of time. We have found 

 crab -apples sound and in first-class condition 

 months after they had fallen from the trees : 

 so had some other creatures, for the leaves 

 had been moved about in all directions to find 

 the fruit. The hedge-bullaces are not speckled 

 over with brown yet ; and the black-jacks, as 

 the wild plums are called, do not yield to the 

 gentle nip of finger and thumb; but they will 

 soon be fit, and when that time does come, 

 other creatures will have their share of them as 

 well as yourself. In that matter the advantage 

 is certainly on their side : you may have seven, 

 or it may be ten, miles to go that is really 

 about the distance at the present time before 

 you can get where they grow ; whereas, birds, 

 for the time, live and roost there. 



The leaves are whirled in cart-loads all over 

 the place ; this dries them completely, and the 

 creatures that line their winter homes with them 

 are not slow to take advantage of it. 



