WINTER 41 



When it is not covered with snow, or, 

 rather, dappled with it, the yard is dull 

 and brown, at first glance, and the white 

 carpet is pierced by dry stems and ragged 

 leaves. But go out with green in your 

 mind, and it is surprising what an answer 

 of green you get from the earth. The 

 kalmia's leaves are leathery, yet they keep 

 a lot of color, and its stalks are tipped 

 with stout buds, securely waiting the ver- 

 nal equinox. The honeysuckle indis- 

 pensable plant retains its foliage ; its 

 shiny black berries drop first, the leaves 

 taking a slaty hue, and finally bronzing 

 into olive. Shreds of gourd-vine hang to 

 the fence, and the long ropes of morning- 

 glory on the house hold hundreds of their 

 blossom-cups, mere stars; but the green 

 has wholly died from them. The iris fades 

 only after repeated nippings, and the chry- 

 santhemum has to be told often that it is 

 winter. After the first frosts I find that 

 the chrysanthemums, salvia, bellis, hydran- 

 gea, petunia, verbena, alyssum, daisy, and 

 dandelion stand it best. A pet dandelion 

 bloomed after several frosts, and another 



