THE AMATEUR GARDEN 



The contrasts were amazing and lent great 

 emphasis to the two or three truths we have 

 here dwelt on probably long enough. To wit: 

 first, that, as a rule, all true gardeners are grown- 

 ups; second, that therein lies the finest value of 

 concerted gardening; third, that the younger 

 the grown-up the better, for the very reason 

 that the crowning recompenses of true gardening 

 come surely, but come late; and fourth, that, 

 nevertheless, gardening yields a lovely ampli- 

 tude of immediate rewards. 



For instance, this gathering in our People's 

 Institute also, before the announcement of prizes, 

 took delight in hearing reported the aggregate 

 of the flowers, mostly of that season's planting, 

 distributed by a considerable number of the 

 competitors to the shut-in and the bereaved. 

 This feature of the movement had been begun 

 only the previous year, and its total was no more 

 than some three thousand dozens of flowers; but 

 many grateful acknowledgments, both verbal 

 and written, prove that it gave solace and joy 

 to many hearts and we may call it a good 

 beginning. 



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