AUTUMN TIDES 



through the agency of birds ; but the thistle 

 furnishes its own birds, — flocks of them, 

 with wings more ethereal and tireless than 

 were ever given to mortal creature. From 

 the pains Nature thus takes to sow the 

 thistle broadcast over the land, it might be 

 expected to be one of the most troublesome 

 and abundant of weeds. But such is not 

 the case ; the more pernicious and baffling 

 weeds, like snapdragon or blind nettles, 

 being more local and restricted in their 

 habits, and unable to fly at all. 



In the fall the battles of the spring are 

 fought over again, beginning at the other 

 or little end of the series. There is the 

 same advance and retreat, with many feints 

 and alarms, between the contending forces, 

 that was witnessed in April and May. The 

 spring comes like a tide running against a 

 strong wind ; it is ever beaten back, but 

 ever gaining ground, with now and then a 

 mad " push upon the land " as if to over- 

 come its antagonist at one blow. The cold 

 from the north encroaches upon us in about 

 the same fashion. In September or early 

 in October it usually makes a big stride 

 forward and blackens all the more delicate 

 plants, and hastens the "mortal ripening" 

 i6i 



