SUMMER [Chap. 



of thus tearing about the roots of the plants 

 when they are at this advanced age and height. It 

 is probable that the ploughing may not be finished 

 before the latter end of July, or the first week 

 of August, but this is no matter; it ought to bfe 

 done, and well done. Ninety -nine of my readers 

 out of a hundred, and 1 dare say, nine hundred 

 and ninety- nine out of a thousand, will shudder 

 at the thought of tearing about in this manner ; 

 thinking that breaking off, tearing off, cutting off, 

 the roots of such large plants, just as they are com- 

 ing into bloom, must be a sort of work of destruc- 

 tion. Let them read the book of Mr. Tull ; or 

 let them go and see my friends the Yankees, 

 who generally drive the thing off to the last mo- 

 ment, especially if they be young enough to have 

 a " frolic" stand between them and the plough- 

 ing of the corn ; or if the wife want the horses 

 to go ten or twenty miles to have a gossip with 

 a neighbour over a comfortable cup of tea ; but 

 they, to do them justice, do not forget the beef 

 steaks, or the barbecued fowls, on these occa- 

 sions ; that is to say, a fowl caught up in the 

 yard, scalded in a minute, cleaned the next, and 

 splitted down the back, and clapped upon the 

 gridiron (favourite implement of mine), and then 

 upon the table, along with the hot cakes, the 

 preserved peaches, and the comfortable cup of 

 tea. If a wife want the horses for this purpose, 



