Brensham Village
“It came not shyly, as springs are wont to do upon Brensham Hill, with a modest snowdrop in the larch plantation, a self-effacing violet under the hedge; but in triumph and sudden splendour ‘with bows bent and with emptying of quivers’, with banners and trumpets, with an army of crocuses and a fanfare of daffodils.
Even in February, when Alfie was spraying his plum trees, there were blue days that rightly belonged to late March. The rooks flew clamorous to their nests in the wine-red elms, and M...r Mountjoy’s bees emerged from their hives in thousands and were rewarded for this act of faith by the golden pollen upon the pussy-willows by the river.
Alfie finished spraying, and began to plough between his lines of plum trees. He didn’t plant anything there, but performed the cultivation as a free gift to his orchards; otherwise the rank-growing grass and weeds would suck the richness from the soil and starve the hungry trees. Very few of our fruit-growers took the trouble to do this; but Mr Chorlton pointed out that it was a very ancient cultivation, and when we asked him what he knew about agriculture, he told us with a smile: ‘It is recommended in the Georgics, Book II.’* March, robbed by February, stole in turn some sunshine, some flowers, and even some thrushes’ nests from April; and so week by week the prodigal business went on of robbing Peter to pay Paul, and the old men complained that the seasons were out of joint and prophesied that Time would bring its revenges.MoreLess
Even in February, when Alfie was spraying his plum trees, there were blue days that rightly belonged to late March. The rooks flew clamorous to their nests in the wine-red elms, and M...r Mountjoy’s bees emerged from their hives in thousands and were rewarded for this act of faith by the golden pollen upon the pussy-willows by the river.
Alfie finished spraying, and began to plough between his lines of plum trees. He didn’t plant anything there, but performed the cultivation as a free gift to his orchards; otherwise the rank-growing grass and weeds would suck the richness from the soil and starve the hungry trees. Very few of our fruit-growers took the trouble to do this; but Mr Chorlton pointed out that it was a very ancient cultivation, and when we asked him what he knew about agriculture, he told us with a smile: ‘It is recommended in the Georgics, Book II.’* March, robbed by February, stole in turn some sunshine, some flowers, and even some thrushes’ nests from April; and so week by week the prodigal business went on of robbing Peter to pay Paul, and the old men complained that the seasons were out of joint and prophesied that Time would bring its revenges.MoreLess
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