134 BEACH GRASS 



in the advent of spring in New England is well 

 known. On April 17, 1910, I gathered a small 

 mess of asparagus in my garden, the rhubarb was 

 up eight or ten inches, and violets, houstonias and 

 wild strawberries were in blossom. The larches 

 were clothed in green and the beach plum blos- 

 soms were nearly out. On May 7, 1918 the tem- 

 perature was 89°, all the trees had leafed out and 

 the lilacs were in full blossom. On May 6, 

 1917 there was a snowstorm at Ipswich the glass 

 stood at 39° at noon, and not a leaf was to be 

 seen except those of the wild currant. Not until 

 May 20 did the maples and lindens begin to leaf 

 out. 



Sunday, March 26, 1922, was a balmy day; 

 the ground was free from snow and almost free 

 from frost, and the glass reached 80°. The 

 Sunday following, a fierce northeaster had cov- 

 ered the ground nearly a foot deep with snow, 

 and the temperature had fallen to 30°. Variety 

 is the spice of life. Therefore New England 

 weather is of the best I 



