158 A GARDEN OF PLEASURE 



figs, and plums. I can believe that, had 

 we means to build and keep up long 

 ranges of houses peach houses, and 

 nectarine and fig-houses they would be 

 built, and we should draw from their rich 

 produce the same enjoyment in the same 

 way that others do who possess glass. 

 But I do not believe that these houses 

 would ever give me the same delight as 

 does the little basketful of fruit and flowers 

 that I find placed on my table every morn- 

 ing on these late summer days. I do not 

 believe that the finest fruit ripened under 

 glass could compare at all with the beauti- 

 ful red sun-ripened peaches, picked from 

 the old brick walls ! My basketful holds 

 sometimes one such perfect peach, two or 

 three purple figs, yellow plums bursting 

 with sugared juice; or a golden pear, a few 

 Muscat or Madresfield Court grapes lovely 

 in their exquisite bloom of misty gold or 

 black, while single flowers of richly-scented 

 tuberose and dainty pink begonias lie 

 intermixed with the green vine leaves 

 and the fruits. Our sole pride of glass 

 fruit culture is in the vinery. Season 



