190 LUTHER BURBANK 



water above the snow to make the whole surface 

 a glassy sheet again, upon which scores of young 

 people had great sport with sleds and skates. 



During the long winters father, with I^uther 

 and Alfred, often visited the woodlands where 

 the men were employed in chopping and pre- 

 paring the wood for burning the brick during 

 the following summer. During the summers 

 Luther used to help in the brickyard (generally 

 against his will ) in turning numerous, long rows 

 of brick on edge to dry, but whenever oppor- 

 tunity was afforded, he engaged in building 

 windmills, water wheels and steam engines, mak- 

 ing statuary, pottery, etc., carrying on a variety 

 of chemical and other experiments that were of 

 more interest to him than turning brick on edge 

 — a very arduous task when well done, and one 

 that always resulted in sore hands and aching 

 back and legs. 



A great source of delight to him were the ex- 

 cursions into the woods in summer time among 

 the waving boughs of maple, walnut, chestnut, 

 birch, beech, aspen, oak, and pine. These wood 

 roads wound through great gardens of moun- 

 tain laurel with glistening leaves and magnificent 

 crimson, pink, and white blossoms ; near by was 

 Cumbery Pond, with its waters well stocked 

 with fish; the old "Slate Quarry"; the "Cinna- 



