178 FIVE ACRES TOO MUCH. 



spread out their leaves like umbrellas to shield them 

 selves from the offensive showers. &quot;We had a few 

 heads, or what passed for heads ; but they were leafy 

 and rather tough quite different from the white 

 full heads sold in market and we fancied tasted of 

 their nourishment. 



There seemed to be a spell on the garden ; what 

 ever we wanted failed, and had to be purchased in 

 the village, and whatever was useless grew magnifi 

 cently. One of our cucumbers measured two feet in 

 length by one in circumference, and took the prize 

 a certificate merely at the county fair ; but, gener 

 ally, oui success was not in exact accordance with our 

 taste. This, of course, was due to my unfortunate 

 absence early in the season. It never does to leave 

 such important matters to unlettered ignorance. 

 How Adam ever made out to earn his bread in ear 

 ly days, without the aid of &quot; Ten Acres Enough,&quot; 

 and &quot; Bridgeman s Assistant,&quot; is a puzzle. Science 

 is our only salvation, and it was a matter of congrat 

 ulation that I returned in time to apply it to the 

 flower garden, if I was somewhat late for the coarser 

 vegetables. 



