70 MY SUMMER IN A GARDEN. 



problem solved by this simple consideration. 

 To get rid of rats and " pusley," he said, 

 was a necessity of our civilization. He did 

 not care so much about the shoe-business ; 

 he did not think that the little Chinese shoes 

 that he had seen would be of service in the 

 army : but the garden-interest was quite an- 

 other affair. We want to make a garden of 

 our whole country : the hoe, in the hands of a 

 man truly great, he was pleased to say, was 

 mightier than the pen. He presumed that 

 General B tl r had never taken into con- 

 sideration the garden-question, or he would 

 not assume the position he does with regard 

 to the Chinese emigration. He would let 

 the Chinese come, even if B tl r had to 

 leave, I thought he was going to say; but I 

 changed the subject. 



During our entire garden interview (op- 

 eratically speaking, the garden-scene), the 

 President was not smoking. I do not know 

 how the impression arose that he "uses 

 tobacco in any form ; " for I have seen him 

 several times, and he was not smoking. 



