28 HOME AND GARDEN 



washed-down soil lies nearly level in a wide flattened 

 drift, whose record is written in the richer growth of 

 tree and bush and the ranker depth of luscious grass 

 and weed. 



I sit at the edge of the hillside path, and look 

 down the old lane. A steep sandy bank rises to the 

 left. Above it is a wood of Oak and Hazel enriched 

 with groups of mighty Hollies. To the right, also 

 steeply rising, is rather open woodland. In the hollow 

 is a thick mass of dead leaves, and below them a rich 

 leaf-mould, for the old lane holds not only the leaves 

 that fall into it, but the many more that are blown in 

 from all sides. Twenty yards ahead and nearly in the 

 bottom is a large Beech, showing by its evident age 

 that for a hundred and fifty years, and who knows how 

 long before, the road has been out of use. Still nearer 

 and a little to the side is a great Holly. Its smooth 

 pale grey stem fifteen inches thick rises unbranched for 

 twelve feet ; then the lower branches sweep boldly 

 down and the outer boughs meet the steep banks. 

 The great Beech-tree arches overhead, and the old 

 hollow way goes steeply down till its further progress 

 is hidden by a bend and by the projection of the 

 right-hand bank. Dog's Mercury here grows thickly, 

 and the sunlight from beyond makes it show as a 

 mass of brilliant green colour. 



As I sit quite quiet I hear in the wood high up on 

 my left some small animal hunting among the dead 

 leaves. By the smallness of the sound it should be a 



