EXPENSES. 113 



also knows nothing of the short cuts and sleight- 

 of-hand by which a professional often accom- 

 plishes wonders. I do not mean tricky prac- 

 tices (Nature will not put up with these), but 

 those skilful touches which a gardener's genius 

 devises ; and, let me assure you, there is as 

 much scope for genius and skill in the garden as 

 elsewhere. Many a man who can write an epic 

 cannot raise strawberries, and taking the average 

 of epics, I think he who can do the latter is the 

 more to be commended and honored. But as I 

 went into gardening without genius, skill, or any 

 great experience, I lifted by the main strength 

 of money a great deal more than was necessary, 

 as the following figures will show. 



Moreover, I was able to bestow little over an 

 hour a day on the garden. If I had given all 

 my time and thought, I could have saved on 

 every side. 



During the four years previous I had merely 

 8 



