FALL PLANT STUDY. 895 



Now the house was small where the cradle lay, 

 As it swung in the wind by night and day ; 

 For a thicket of underbrush fenced it round, 

 This little lone cot by the great sun browned. 



The little nut grew, and ere long it found 

 There was work outside on the soft green ground ; 

 It must do its part so the world might know 

 It has tried one little seed to sow. 



And soon the house that had kept it warm 

 Was tossed about by the winter's storm ; 

 The stem was cracked, the old house fell, 

 And the chestnut burr was an empty shell. 



But the little seed, as it waiting lay, 

 Dreamed a wonderful dream from day to day, 

 Of how it should break its coat of brown, 

 And live as a tree to grow up and down." 



Author not known. 



If all the chestnuts grew, how close together the trees 

 would be ; they could not live. The good tree mother 

 makes more nuts than she can possibly need, and thus 

 feeds the squirrels and boys and girls. 



Round out the thought by picturing the family gathered 

 about the evening fire roasting the chestnuts, or by telling 

 how the early settlers were kept from starvation by the 

 store of nuts the trees had made for them. 



FALLING AND COLORING OF LEAVES. 



"October is the month of painted leaves. Their rich 

 glow now flashes round the world. As fruit and leaves and 

 the day itself acquire a bright tint just before they fall, so 

 the year near its setting. October is its sunset sky ; No- 

 vember, the later twilight." HENRY D. THOREAU, "Ex- 

 cursions." 



