WHAT I KNOW ABOUT GARDENING. 167 



to bloom in very slight soil into a wild- wood 

 grace and beauty ; yet, the world through, 

 they lack that wealth of charms, that tropic 

 affluence of both person and mind, which 

 higher and more stimulating culture brings, 

 the passion as well as the soul glowing 

 in the Cloth-of-Gold rose. Neither persons 

 nor plants are ever fully themselves until 

 they are cultivated to their highest. I, for 

 one, have no fear that society will be too 

 much enriched. The only question is about 

 keeping down the weeds ; and I have learned 

 by experience that we need new sorts of 

 hoes, and more disposition to use them. 



Moral Deduction. The difference be- 

 tween soil and society is evident. We bury 

 decay in the earth ; we plant in it the per- 

 ishing ; we feed it with offensive refuse : but 

 nothing grows out of it that is not clean ; 

 it gives us back life and beauty for our rub- 

 bish. Society returns us what we give it. 



Pretending to reflect upon these things, 

 but in reality watching the blue-jays, who 

 are pecking at the purple berries of the 



