20 Hardy Plants for Cottage Gardens 



to the acre, nor seventy, no, nor forty; perhaps twenty-five 

 would represent the actual figures. Somehow this conversa- 

 tion, oft repeated with interesting variations, reminds me of 

 Lot pleading with the Almighty for the salvation of Sodom, 

 and the numerical results closely resemble each other. I like 

 Adam's sincere defense of a lost cause; it is a strong guarantee 

 of domestic fidelity, even if he does call me Miss Ipse Dixit 

 before we get through. If it were not for the rocks and native 

 soil and a yearly drought thrown in for good measure, a gar- 

 dener could loaf most of the time in this region. 



The first few days proved I was still an amateur. I would 

 dig out a bush here, heave a rock there, shy little stones to- 

 ward a deep unfilled hole in the corner until my hands were 

 worn down to the quick; but of good honest systematic work 

 there was none. I very much needed a boss; but Adam had 

 evidently decided not to interfere with my education; and he 

 also knew, that, when possessed with an idea, I am apt to grow 

 a little heady. So he wisely absented himself, though I knew 

 he was always within hailing distance in his own garden, and 

 was only waiting to be summoned. The deep deposit of black 

 soil found between the rocks was like striking a vein of metal, 

 and I speedily decided that life was not long enough to dig 

 over the entire area; that I had better abandon the plan of 

 covering the stones with earth, that it was easier to lay out the 

 beds at once and confine mining operations within their 

 limits. From necessity I had to reinforce my deepening shafts 

 by enclosing them with strong wooden frames, and this is how 

 it happens that my beds are bounded by box ( ?) edgings an 

 ugly device, but cheaper than brick. Within these enclosures 

 I dug down about eighteen inches and after the stones were 

 removed, I had perhaps eight to ten inches of mellow black 

 earth. The beds were then filled to the top of the board edg- 

 ings with a mixture of the top soil of Adam's vegetable gar- 



