MY SUMMER IN A GARDEN. 73 



NINTH WEEK. 



T AM more and more impressed with 

 -*- the moral qualities of vegetables, 

 and contemplate forming a science 

 which shall rank with comparative 

 anatomy and comparative philology, 

 the science of comparative vegetable 

 morality. We live in an age of proto 

 plasm. And, if life-matter is essentially 

 the same in all forms of life, I purpose 

 to begin early, and ascertain the nature 

 of the plants for which I am responsible. 

 I will not associate with any vegetable 

 which is disreputable, or has not some 

 quality that can contribute to my moral 

 growth. I do not care to be seen much 

 with the squashes or the dead-beets. 

 Fortunately I can cut down any sorts 



