England," are both apposite, for they are busy months on the land, and
a wet March amounts to a national disaster; but everyone forgives
April when showery, for we all know that "April showers bring forth
May flowers." Shakespeare, too, says:

"When daffodils begin to peer,
With heigh! the doxy over the dale,
Why, then comes in the sweet of the year."

A charming sentiment and charmingly rendered, but possibly more
accurate when the Old Style was in vogue, and the seasons were nearly
a fortnight later than now. The modern "daffys" too, no doubt, "begin
to peer" somewhat earlier than those of the reign of Queen Elizabeth.

During a very hot summer I suggested to the Board of Agriculture that
it might be worth while to experiment with explosions of artillery,
with a view of inducing the clouds to discharge the rain they
evidently contain when they keep passing day after day without
bursting. I had seen it stated that many great battles had ended in
tremendous downpours, and that it was believed that the rain was
caused by concussion from the explosions. The Board replied, however,
that experiments had been conducted in America for the purpose,
without in any way substantiating the theory; and the experiences of
the Great War have since conclusively proved that it has no
foundation.

As to weather signs, I have already quoted the original pronouncement
of my carpenter, T.G., that "the indications for rain are very similar
to the indications for fine weather," and there is a good deal in his
words. My own conclusion, after fifty years of out-door life on the