THE FALL OF THE LEAF 253 



saying that the details of the process are intricate, and 

 that they vary considerably from plant to plant. 



Finally the leaves fall gently from the trees, or after 

 writhing and rustling in the wind, as if loath to be separated, 

 are violently wrenched off and whirled along the ground. 

 Who can help hearing in this ground-whirl of perished 

 leaves " the wind of Death's imperishable wing " ? But 

 although we cannot ignore the curfew of the year, tolling 

 insistently in October, we recognise that the tree is not 

 really impoverished by the yearly loss of its leaves, while 

 they, on the other hand, weathered, faded and torn, and 

 mouldered by fungi, are buried by earthworms, to form, 

 with the help of bacteria, the vegetable mould in which 

 are born the seedlings of another year. 



When we look back on the full Summer tide, Autumn 

 seems indeed to be bare and sad, especially in northern 

 countries. The fields are stripped ; the hedgerows are 

 silent ; withered grass, blackened herbage, and leafless 

 boughs contrast almost painfully with Summer's pageant. 

 But it is well to make the most of the present to go before 

 it is too late to some height among the woods and watch 

 the waves of colour splashing in the wind. Let us gather 

 some browned bracken, lighten it up with leaves of oak and 

 rowan tree,, brighten it with a branch of a bramble, throw 

 in Virginian creeper and vine if we have them, and let us 

 recognise with gladness the persistent glory of the year. 



Let us look forward, too, and see how the withering 

 leaves often prophesy the splendour of future flowers, 

 and recognise that the leafless boughs are only resting, 

 husbanding their strength for the triumphal outburst of 

 Spring. The buds are already there, the vigour of the 

 leaves that have fallen has given them their initiative. 



The leaves live and die for the plant, which is enriched 

 by their Summer's work, and saved by their Autumn fall. 



