48 THE MOONLIGHT LECTURE 



Italian " bambino," and the kindly face with the 

 black beard, somewhat as a nurse glories in the 

 weight and healthy appearance of her baby, looks 

 down with pride and pleasure as the wrappings are 

 taken off and a well-grown specimen of celery is 

 seen. Meawhile, pale-blue jackets and brown 

 caps from the Captain's office and fifteen glow- 

 worm lamps attached to other students are all 

 collected in the potting-shed, where together with 

 the electric light a dazzling illumination helps to 

 display the beauty of this tall, straight vegetable 

 with its waving, somewhat feathery leaves. 



All the lanterns are raised in salute as the plant 

 is held up in our midst, and with some trepidation 

 a rather inferior specimen grown in the garden 

 here is compared with it. " Gardening is not 

 learnt in a day," says the gentle-hearted teacher, 

 and with this prelude he commences an accurate 

 description of the various stages of cultivation that 

 lead to good results. It all seems so simple and 

 easy that we feel sure that next year, in spite of the 

 difficulties that are met with on a chalk soil, we 

 shall be able with his watchful care to carry off a 

 first prize for celery. He is far-famed for success 

 with this particular vegetable, which, together with 

 mushrooms, the latter grown in great vaulted caves 

 beneath a railway arch, are his great speciality. 

 11 Next year, you will grow some better than mine," 

 and with this encouraging word in their ears, the 

 students gather round him and their Chief, who 

 together lead the way to where the first mushroom 

 bed of the season has been made up. 



It is in the stove-house, and as there is not room 



