^§e ^a^ of t^t &(X\ib 



If my skeptic found no fiddler crabs along her sea- 

 shore, found nothing of interest smaller and more 

 thing-like than color and fresh air, it may be that 

 she did not understand how to look for crabs and 

 things. 



To go to the seashore for one June, to the moun- 

 tains for a second, to the farm for a third, is not a 

 good way to study the out-of-doors. A better way is 

 to spend all three Junes at this shore or upon this 

 same farm. It is when one abides upon the farm, 

 indeed, the year around, through several Junes, that 

 one discovers the woodchucks. The clover is too high 

 in June. As one of twelve, June is a very good 

 month to be out of doors ; but as a season for nature 

 study, — no single month, not even June, is satis- 

 factory. 



It takes time and patience and close watching to 

 discover woodchucks. This means a limited terri- 

 tory ; one can easily have too much ground to culti- 

 vate. I know a man who owns five hundred acres of 

 Jersey pine barrens, and who can hardly till enough 

 of it to pay taxes, whereas a friend of mine here near 

 Boston is quietly getting rich on three acres and a 



half. 



202 



