WHAT I KNOW ABOUT GARDENING. 117 



think there is no danger but they will be 

 gathered as soon as they are ripe. One of 

 the blessings of having an open garden is 

 that I do not have to watch my fruit: a 

 dozen youngsters do that, and let it waste no 

 time after it matures. I wish it were possi- 

 ble to grow a variety of grape like the ex- 

 plosive bullets, that should explode in the 

 stomach : the vine would make such a nice 

 border for the garden, a masked battery 

 of grape. The pears, too, are getting russet 

 and heavy ; and here and there amid the 

 shining leaves one gleams as ruddy as the 

 cheek of the Nutbrown Maid. The Flemish 

 Beauties come off readily from the stem, if 

 I take them in my hand : they say all kinds 

 of beauty come off by handling. 



The garden is peace as much as if it were 

 an empire. Even the man's cow lies down 

 under the tree where the man has tied her, 

 with such an air of contentment that I have 

 small desire to disturb her. She is chewing 

 my cud as if it were hers. Well, eat on and 

 chew on, melancholy brute. I have not the 



