WILD FLOAVERS.— THE LAKE. 
31 
to escape until the snow falls and shields them, preserving them 
through the winter in a sort of half evergreen state, like some 
other garden and field plants. This year there are more of these 
fern leaves than usual, and they are pleasing, though flattened 
to the ground by the snow which has been Aveighing them down. 
Nothing like a flower in all the wide woods. But the ground 
laurel is in bud and will blossom before long ; we raked up the 
dead leaves to look for it, and some of the buds are very large 
and promising. 
Ihe robins, and sparrows, and bluebirds were singing very 
sweetly as we came home toward evening ; there are many more 
now in the village than in the woods. The wheat is looking 
green ; the other fields are still brown. Every day the lake 
grows more dull and gloomy. 
Tuesdo.y, 4th. — The frogs were heard last night for the first 
time this season. 
Wednesday/, 5tk. — First seed sown in the garden to-day ; peas, 
beets, onions, &c., &c. 
Friday/, 6 th. — Bright sun, but cool air, which keeps back the 
swelling buds ; and if these come out too soon they are in great 
danger of being injured by frost. The ice is still in the lake, 
and knowing ones say we never have w^arm weather until the 
waters are open. There is no current in our lake, or so little at 
least, it is scarcely perceptible ; not enough to carry the ice off', 
and it melts slowly away. Heavy rains are a great help in get- 
ting rid of it, and after an opening is once made in the weak crust, 
a high wind will work upon it like magic, dashing it into frag- 
ments, and piling it on the shores, when it vanishes in a very 
short time. We have known the lake well covered, and men 
