118 FIVE ACRES TOO MUCH. 



evidence of clear weather, and the sky was as blue 

 as my feelings. 



The time for planting one species after another of 

 seed or root passed by. July came and went, August 

 arrived and was slipping by, the list of seeds was 

 fearfully reduced, when at last clouds covered the 

 sky and rain began to fall. It is unnecessary to say 

 that all such seeds as might by any possibility germ 

 inate so late in the season were, in spite of the pat 

 tering drops, planted ere the storm had fairly begun. 

 Bridgeman s instructions had been learned by heart, 

 and each kind was set out in a circle, while a stick 

 with the empty bag, marked with the name, was stuck 

 up in the centre. The trougl^ in which, they were 

 planted was dug about two inches deep, and filled 

 with manure, to insure vigorous growth. Two inches 

 is deeper than was authorized, but it seemed desira 

 ble that the plants should take a deep root. Hardly 

 were the seeds planted ere the rain stopped, the 

 clouds broke, and the sun came out hotter than ever. 

 For three weeks that sun never ceased to blaze ex 

 cept when it went to bed for three weeks not an 

 other cloud appeared or drop of rain fell. 



Tending a garden is a pleasant occupation, but 

 when the only thing to be done is to water, every 

 morning and evening, a spot of bare earth where 



