March

the third month of the year. It was originally the first month of the Roman year, and was named in honor of Mars, the god of war. Astronomically, it is the first month of spring. In northern latitudes, however, it is a winter month. In southern Australia, it is, of course, the last month of summer, corresponding to our September. The Anglo-Saxons called it the loud or stormy month. The farmers of England desire a dry March for the sake of their crops. There is a popular proverb that "A bushel of March dust is worth a king's ransom." To people impatient for spring, it seems the longest month in the year. The Scotch have a tradition to the effect that March borrowed its last three days from April in order to prolong winter weather. These borrowing days, as they are called, are considered ill days. They are described in a countryside rhyme as follows: