Let the care exercised be never so great, a certain amount of mortality must occur.
While the young partridges gradually become strong and swift, the nuts are increasing in size, and ripening upon the bough.

The very hazel has a pleasant sound--not a nut-tree hedge existed in the neighbourhood that we did not know and visit.

We noted the progress of the bushes from the earliest spring, and the catkins to the perfect nut.
There are threads of brilliant scarlet upon the hazel in February, though the gloom of winter lingers and the 'Shuck--a--sheck!' of the fieldfare fleeing before the snow sounds overhead.

On the slender branches grow green ovals, from whose tips tiny scarlet plumes rise and curl over.
It often happens that while the tall rods with speckled bark grow vigorously the stole is hollow and decaying when the hardy fern flourishes around it.

Before the summer ricks are all carted the nuts are full of sweet milky matter, and the shell begins to harden.