74 OLD-FASHIONED GARDENING 



the woods, that they did not think of cultivating 

 them in their gardens, which were extremely neat but 

 small, and not by any means calculated for walking 

 in. I think I yet see what I have so often beheld in 

 both town and country, a respectable mistress of a 

 family going out to her garden in an April morning, 

 with her great calash, her little painted basket of 

 seeds, and her robe over her shoulders, to her garden 

 labours. These were by no means merely figura- 

 tive. ... A woman, in very easy circumstances 

 and abundantly gentle in form and manners, would 

 sow and plant and rake incessantly. These fair gar- 

 deners were also great florists: their emulation and 

 solicitude in this pleasing employment did indeed pro- 

 duce 'flowers worthy of Paradise/ Though not set 

 in 'curious knots' they were arranged in beds, the 

 varieties of each kind by themselves; this if not varied 

 and elegant was at least rich and gay." So the 

 women were the gardeners; and they spun and wove 

 and knit, also and found time to take tea with a 

 neighbor or to entertain one at home ! How did they 

 ever do it? 



The secret of it lies, of course, in their sense of 

 order, and the methodical system arising from this 

 sense. Nothing was ever neglected or postponed; 

 everything was done as it should be, when it should 

 be. And the result was fat larders, and fat linen- 



