MAY. 
105 
sively on insects ; but its chief service is its domineering 
disposition : it attacks crows, hawks^, and even eagles; and as 
its powers of flight are sufficient to secure its own safety^ it 
makes a bold and fearless assault^ and with such success as 
effectually to drive any bird of these kinds from its vicinity. 
Now draw in your horse a moment, and look at the pro- 
spect from this hill : yonder white building is the Metho- 
dist churchy which, with its high tower surmounted by a 
cupola, is a conspicuous object, and, together with the hand- 
some dwelling-houses near it, agreeably contrasts with the 
dark woods at the back : here in front are the fields just 
putting on the verdant livery of spring ; behind, and to the 
right, we see a silver sheet of water^ smiling as peacefully as 
if its surface had never been ruffled by a storm ; that is 
Lake Masuippi. From its very edge rise steep and high 
mountains, shagged with wood to the summits ; and the 
whole picture is finished by the blue and distant hills of Ver- 
mont ; hills of all shapes, mountain rising beyond mountain, 
as far as the eye can see. This hill to the left hides Charles- 
ton village from our sights which is not more than two or 
three miles distant. But let us go on. 
C — I observe by the roadside the young leaves of the 
thistle are appearing. 
F, — The sprouting of this plant, the Canada Thistle 
( Cnicus Arvensis ) I noticed about a week ago. It is one 
of the most pestiferous weeds that are found amongst us, and 
has of late years increased so rapidly as to become an object 
of considerable alarm among farmers. It springs up among 
the grain crops, and its sharp spines are so formidable as to 
cause great difficulty in reaping grain in which the thistle is 
growing. It spreads rapidly too in grass lands, 
C. — But is there no way to eradicate it ? 
