"Twenty Hill Hollow 



the prime of life. In February, squirrels, hares, 

 and flowers were in springtime joy. Bright 

 plant-constellations shone everywhere about 

 the Hollow. Ants were getting ready for work, 

 rubbing and sunning their limbs upon the husk- 

 piles around their doors; fat, pollen-dusted, 

 "burly, dozing humble-bees" were rumbling 

 among the flowers; and spiders were busy 

 mending up old webs, or weaving new ones. 

 Flowers were born every day, and came gush- 

 ing from the ground like gayly dressed children 

 from a church. The bright air became daily 

 more songful with fly-wings, and sweeter with 

 breath of plants. 



In March, plant-life is more than doubled. 

 The little pioneer cress, by this time, goes to 

 seed, wearing daintily embroidered silicles. 

 Several claytonias appear; also, a large white 

 leptosiphon[?], and two nemophilas. A small 

 plantago becomes tall enough to wave and 

 show silky ripples of shade. Toward the end of 

 this month or the beginning of April, plant-life 

 is at its greatest height. Few have any just con- 

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