V 
A UTUMN 
!53 
and the best kept for use another year, and the 
rest carried off to the leaf-heap. 
In October 
The trees are Indian princes, 
But soon they turn to ghosts, 
and as they shed their golden leaves you must 
brush them up, and keep the grass and paths 
clear of them. Sometimes a sharp frost comes 
suddenly and most of the leaves fall in a few 
days, but more often each windy day brings 
down a few :— 
The wild wind bereaves' 
The trees of their leaves, 
And scatters them over the green ; 
And then you must rush 
With basket and brush, 
And make the place fit to be seen. 
It is a good thing when the leaves come 
down in dry clear weather to collect a little heap 
in some hidden corner, under bushes or any¬ 
where that you can keep them fairly dry. If 
possible, get some withered bracken too, and 
lay a few sticks on the top to keep them, from 
blowing about. You will find them very handy 
when the weather gets really cold, and tender 
plants want protection. It is not a good thing 
to cover up too early, as the moist foggy days 
rot the leaves, and they in turn cause the plant 
to damp off. 
