COUNTRY LIFE
The Three Cold Saints I$ there any real justification for the standard weather prophe- cies—the prophecies that attribute particular phenomena to particular dates ? Buchan's famous periods, and a host of country beliefs come into the category. Now on the Continent, especially, I believe in the Austria that was, the peasants have long held in terror the festival of the Drei Eismanner, or Eisheiligen, the three Catholic saints whose feast days are celebrated on the loth, itth and 12th of May. Many a garden operation is put off till these days are past. This is usually the hey-day of the apple blossom, and there remains in the inherited memory of the peasant records of the cutting of his blossom, just as all looked well; the third day came a frost, " a killing frost." The latest May frost of any great severity that has been experienced in England fell with ruinous effect on forest tree, including the beeches, as well as orchard, on May 17th. Light ground frosts have been recorded, I believe, in every month of the year. It is certainly very rare for the fruit-grower to suffer when the second week of May is past, though he not seldom suffers during the first two weeks, and of all the types, the samples of weather that are recorded in Europe, the most definitely destructive is the May frost. In this strange year it froze almost every day through the latter half of April and the first week of May, and much harm was done ; but in general the apple blossom, which is a mar- vellous spectacle of beauty at the moment, has been immune. May we hope that the long spell of April frost came in lieu of the frost fostered by the three saints ? This week-end will give the answer and we may hope help to clear the reputation of St. Pancratias, who will not allow the good German gardener to plant geraniums before his feast day.
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