THE SIX OF SPADES. 179 



him to whom it was put on several occasions in this 

 very class ; and it sounded very like a request made 

 by a soldier in battle to his enemy for the loan of his 

 sword, with a view to digging it into the owner's ribs. 

 I cocked both ears, I can tell you, to catch what the 

 old man would say ; and, after looking a bit confused, 

 and scratching his brain for a brace o' seconds, slowly 

 and solemnly he said this: "In growing the her- 

 baceous calceolaria for exhibition in pots, we find from 

 experience that everything depends upon everything 

 else, and we act according/^." 



So to the question, " Is it a good thing that 

 gardeners should exhibit ? " we answers cautious, " It 

 depends." If the master is willing, and the gardener 

 has time and talent (he'll find the time if he has got 

 the talent, by beginning work sooner or ending it 

 later), let him show by all means. The hope of 

 success will be to him one of them happy thoughts 

 which lighten his daily toil, as the thought of a 

 holiday to a lad at his sums, of a Fair day to a farm- 

 boy at his plough, or of a Eeview day to a volunteer 

 at drill. Besides the Great Light of all, we needs 

 these bits of brightness on our journey, and the same 

 kind mercy sends them. Then the show itself will 

 cheer him up if he wins, and teach him if he loses ; 

 and, win or lose, it is good for us gardeners to see 

 plants, flowers, fruit, and vegetables as perfect as 

 care and skill can make them, and to find out, as far 

 as possible, how this has been done. If I were the 

 proprietor of a large garden, I should like my 

 gardener to go to exhibition??, whether he exhibited or 

 not; and I know several wealthy and wise masters 



