CROPS AND PROFITS. 173 



veil of his own foggy humors, whenever he goes 

 abroad. My experience suggests that this capri 

 cious fruit be planted under the shadow of a north 

 wall, in soil compact and deep ; it should be 

 thoroughly enriched, pruned severely, watered abund 

 antly, and mulched (if possible) with kelp, fresh 

 from the sea shore. These conditions and appli 

 ances may give a clean cheek, even to the Conquer- 

 ing-Hero. 



But it is not so much for any piquancy of flavor 

 that I prize the fruit, as because its English bloat is 

 pleasantly suggestive of little tartlets (smothered in 

 clotted cream) eaten long ago under the lee of Dart 

 moor hills of Lancashire gardens, where prize 

 berries reposed on little scaffoldings, or swam in 

 porcelain saucers-aj-and of bristling thickets in Cow- 

 per s Wilderness by Olney. 



Is it lonely in my garden of a summer s evening ? 

 Have the little pattering feet gone their ways to 

 bed ? Then I people the gooseberry alley with old 

 Doctor Primrose, and his daughters Sophia and 

 Olivia ; Squire Burchell comes, and sits upon the 

 bench with me under the arbor, as I smoke my 

 pipe. How shall we measure our indebtedness to 

 such pleasant books, that people our solitude so 

 many years after they are written ! Oliver Gold 

 smith, I thank you ! Crown-Bob, I thank you. 



