912 



intemperate require murders and burglaries. An editor always an- 

 nounces, with a modest and melancholy air, that " the potatoes as yet 

 are perfectly healthy ;" that the " wheat at present looks unusually 

 well." These announcements are made in his smallest type, and in- 

 variably thrust into his most obscure corner. How different when 

 the leaves of a potato flag in the sun, or assume the yellow tint that 

 indicates maturity ! Then pour in letters to the 'Cerberus :' then the 

 * Cerberus' selects its largest type, and its most prominent site : then 

 the 'Pict' reprints them from the 'Cerberus' and the 'Cerberus' reprints 

 them again from the 'Pict'. Like the reverberating echoes of thunder, 

 the report is bandied from paper to paper, from north to south, until 

 its origin is lost sight of altogether. Journalists plead the taste of 

 their readers, and how shall we blame them } 



It is, however, for the wise and prudent to examine for themselves: 

 to use their own eyes and their own understandings. When state- 

 ments appear in the public prints that Mr, Verysoft has pulled up all 

 his potatoes and sowed haricot beans after reading the very able let- 

 ters of Messrs. Smee and Westwood, there is no real necessity for 

 following so strange an example. A gardener who knew I took great 

 interest in the subject, seriously asked my advice whether he should 

 imitate Mr. Verysoft : " the haulm is laying about," said he, " the 

 leaves are growing yellow, and they are all turning up at the sides." 



E. N. — " Now let me inquire what sort of potatoes those are ?" 



Gardener. — " Ash-leaved kidneys." 



E. N. — " And when ought they to be ripe ?" 



Gardener. — " In another fortnight." 



E. N. — "And now tell me by what signs can it be known when 

 they are getting ripe ?" 



Gardener. — " Oh, the haulm falls about and turns yellow." 



E. N.— " Just as in these ?" 



Gardener. — "Yes, a good deal like it" — (a pause, during which I 

 could not help smiling) " but not so soon though, and Mr. Westwood 

 says the disease comes this way." 



E. N. — " I suppose, then, Mr. Westwood is a very great grower of 

 potatoes : a practical man, who has served his apprenticeship to a 

 market- gardener .'' is that so ?" 



Gardener. — " I know not what he is; but the papers make a good 

 deal of what he says. Then a Mr. Verysoft has written a very cle- 

 ver letter to say he pulled up his potatoes because they went so. 



E. N. — " And yet Mr. Westwood writes against Mr. Smee, and the 

 papers made a good deal of Mr. Smee a few weeks before." 



