WHAT I KNOW ABOUT GARDENING. 39 



the second time. I suppose, if my garden 

 were planted in a perfect circle, and I started 

 round it with a hoe, I should never see an 

 opportunity to rest. The fact is that gar- 

 dening is the old fable of perpetual labor ; 

 and I, for one, can never forgive Adam 

 Sisyphus, or whoever it was who let in the 

 roots of discord. I had pictured myself sit- 

 ting at eve, with my family, in the shade 

 of twilight, contemplating a garden hoed. 

 Alas ! it is a dream not to be realized in 

 this world. 



My mind has been turned to the subject of 

 fruit and shade trees in a garden. There are 

 those who say that trees shade the garden 

 too much, and interfere with the growth of 

 the vegetables. There may be something in 

 this : but when I go down the potato rows, 

 the rays of the sun glancing upon my shin- 

 ing blade, the sweat pouring from my face, 

 I should be grateful for shade. What is 

 a garden for? The pleasure of man. I 

 should take much more pleasure in a shady 

 garden. Am I to be sacrificed, broiled, 



