RURAL HOURS. 
3U 
leaved variety, deep lake ; it was quite a tree. The Viburnums 
are generally well colored at this season ; the large leaves of the 
hobble-bush especially are quite showy now. This is the American 
“ way-faring tree,” but on several accounts it scarcely deserves 
the name ; though pretty in its way, it is only a shrub, and in- 
stead of giving pleasure to the wanderer, it is frequently an 
obstacle in his path, for the long branches will sometimes root 
themselves anew from the ends, thus making a tangled thicket 
about them ; this habit, indeed, has given to the shrub the name 
of “ hobble-bush.” The blackberry-bushes are a deep brownish 
red ; the wild raspberries purplish red. Altogether, the shrubs 
and bushes strike us as more vividly colored than usual. Every 
season has some peculiarity of its own in this waj’-, the trees and 
bushes varying from year to year, which is an additional source of 
interest in the autumnal pageant. A particular maple, which for 
years has turned a deep purple crimson, is now yellow, Avith a flush 
of scarlet. Observed several ashes yellow shaded with purple, the 
two colors being veiy clearly marked on the same tree. 
Monday, \Qth . — Charming weather; bright and Avarm, with 
hazy Indian summer atmosphere. They are harvesting the last 
maize-fields ; some farmers “ top” the stalks, that is to say, cut 
off the upper half, and leave the lower ears several weeks longer 
to ripen. Others cut the Avhole crop at once, gathering the ears 
first, then cutting the stalks and leaving them to stand in sheaves 
about the fields for a feAv days. The maize harvest is usually 
several Aveeks going on, as some farmers are much earlier Avith the 
task than others. The red buckwheat sheaves are also left stand- 
ing about some farms much longer than others ; they are seen in 
many fields just now, in neighborhood with the maize-stalks. 
