COUNTRY LIFE
Ice Saints
The year has upheld so drastically the reputation . of the Drei Eismiinner that some details about these ill-omened saints may be worth repetition. They have pleasant names enough, as if they had been selected for the same sort of
careful superstition as persuaded the groups to call a dangerous sea the Euxine and the more than dangerous gods the Eumenides. The festival of the three saints, Pancratius, Servatius and Bonifacius, falls on May 12th, 13th and 14th ; and all across the Continent as in England it happens time and again that fruit- and vegetable-growers are attacked by their worst of all enemies, the late May frost. On the whole, the more scientific weather prophets are not on the side of Buchan and those who pin their faith to seasonal weather prophecies, whether the saint be Bonifacius. or Swithin ; but to the memories of most of us who fail to keep strict accounts, these untimely frosts of May (falling when apple and strawberry blossom are at their fullest, and the young potatoes just tall enough to feel the east wind) seem terribly regular and wholly to justify the very old soubriquet of these Eismfirmer. It froze on their festival, but their reputation was not fully justified, for the third day came a frost, a killing frost " ; the heavy losses of straw- berry, cherry and potato growers befell three days after the proper festival was over, when, according to the superstition, all should be well.
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