WHAT WE DID FIRST 



them, for these maps showed us exactly where to put eacli plant as 

 it arrived, and how to place it, and how many were to be put in each 

 bed. It was exhaustive, I do not add exhausting, although I 

 might. Nor were we blind followers of any man. That would 

 be impossible for the Constant Improver. We always wanted to 

 know the reason why. Occasionally we dared to change the great 

 man's dictum, sometimes to our regret, but at others to our 

 mutual satisfaction. 



The amount of time we spent out of doors that first summer was 

 incredible. Although it rained constantly, we prepared ourselves 

 with suitable attire and watched the changes from day to day. 

 Nothing could have given our shrubs a better start than those six 

 months of moisture; so what though the roadways did suffer and 

 our grassy dreams became muddy realities ? " To change one's 

 mind is a sign of progress, " said the Constant Improver, and dili- 

 gently hunted for gravel. 



Fortunately we discovered on the place two large pits from which 

 we drew at least two thousand loads of gravel and an equal amount 

 of clay, carefully distributing both along the three-quarters of a 

 mile of roadway extending from the gate on the high road to the 

 house. No sooner did we get any part nicely rolled, than down 

 would come the rain again and undo all our labor. Where that 

 gravel went to was a mystery! It simply disappeared. Our own 

 supply gave out and still the roadway cried for more ! I would not 



dare to tell how many wagon-loads went to make that apparently 



31 



