THE NATURAL MAN S61 



trifling undergrowth, pimpernel and such like, humble 

 pensioners that take practically nothing from the 

 treasuries of the soil, and enter into no rivalry 

 with the wheat. What spoils the look of the wheat 

 field are the much higher and pushing wild things 

 that race up to air and sun with the stems of the 

 corn. Everything that interferes with the growth 

 of wheat is a base weed. For proof of a good man 

 and true, of the type that makes and keeps a country 

 great, there is little surer than a perfect crop of ripe 

 wheat grown in moderate soil on a small farm ; this 

 rarely or never deceives. 



Nothing about harvest of late has struck me more 

 than the small part hard human labour plays in its 

 drama to-day. True, in corn fields close to villages 

 little groups, straggling lines of workers and watchers, 

 chiefly watchers, may still be seen. The farmer, 

 " fond of a bit of sport," may come with his gun 

 when the last acre or two is being cut ; whilst village 

 boys with sticks stand about at the corners on the 

 imaginary chance of bowling over the hard-pressed 

 rabbits as they bolt at last from their dwindling 

 cover. A day or so later come leasers, gathering 

 stray ears of wheat left after the last official combing 

 of the field. But afar from the villages and hamlets, 

 harvest is often quite solitary work for a man. 



In the early morning I looked out from the octagon 

 room on the gently stirring, beautifully even surface of 

 burnt yellow and brown ; twelve slumbrous hours later 



