MY SUMMER IN A GARDEN. 103 



greater part of the plants goes into stalk 

 and leaf, and the fruit is a most incon 

 siderable portion. I plant and hoe a 

 hill of corn : it grows green and stout, 

 and waves its broad leaves high in the 

 air, and is months in perfecting itself, 

 and then yields us not enough for a 

 dinner. It grows because it delights to 

 do so, to .take the juices out of my 

 ground, to absorb my fertilizers, to wax 

 luxuriant, and disport itself in the sum 

 mer air, and with very little thought of 

 making any return to me. I might go 

 all through my garden and fruit-trees 

 with a similar result. I have heard of 

 places where there was very little land 

 to the acre. It is universally true, that 

 there is a great deal of vegetable show 

 and fuss for the result produced. I do 

 not complain of this. One cannot 

 expect vegetables to be better than men : 

 and they make a great deal of osten- 



