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Warner's " My Summer in a Garden," have we had anything at 

 all like it, this resemblance being in the humorous features of the 

 two books. Humor is perhaps Mr. Robbins' predominating sense, 

 and it is a humor of rare quality. We doubt if in all his writings 

 there occurs any suggestion that can have caused a heartache. 

 His humor is genial and kindly and the subject of his animadver- 

 sions can only smile with him. We can even imagine the plants 

 themselves chuckling, if they could read his comments on their 

 frailties, shortcomings, and general waywardness. As the gar- 

 dener enjoys the fun of the situations depicted, he absorbs knowl- 

 edge that is to save him from mistakes which he recognizes as his 

 very own. 



Mr. Robbins' opening chapter, in which he compares the gar- 

 dening undertaking with a stock market adventure, is perfect in 

 every detail and brings the gardener out a winner. 



Nowhere else have we seen the charm of our flowers so fasci- 

 natingly depicted. As we read, we wonder why we have not ap- 

 preciated our favorites more highly, and we drop the book and 

 hasten out to look at our spring beauties, trying to see something 

 in them that we have not seen before. 



The author's " Pageant " of the flowers is a motion-picture in 

 words. Everything slips before us in correct order and proper 

 dress, from the pussy willow that "show its fuzzy semaphore," 

 thus making known " that the door-yard pageant is about to be- 

 gin," till the brave endurance of the chrysanthemum fails and " at 

 last the snow-white curtain falls." " Cure it with a Garden " is 

 well calculated to broaden the view, cultivate the taste, enhance 

 appreciation and, withal, to guide the gardener to success in an 

 undertaking that is beset with difficulties and pitfalls. The final 

 chapter, of eleven pages, is devoted wholly to " Maxims," by an 

 imaginary Mr. Timkins, in which the most important principles 

 and rules of the gardener's art are succinctly presented. 



We shall be greatly mistaken if this book does not find a place 

 on the " ready reference " shelf of very mam country homes. 



H. H. Rusby. 



