6 MARY'S GARDEN AND HOW IT GREW 



to work. Those little pots are yours ; those little 

 plants," and he laid a half-dozen tiny rooted cuttings 

 at her left hand, " are for you ; that is your pile of 

 soil. 



"Now watch me carefully. I put the pot be- 

 fore me so. I put a little earth in the bottom of the 

 pot so : just a little, that the roots will not try to eat 

 the hard crock. I hold the small plant in my left 

 hand so : as it will stand when it is planted. With 

 my right hand I cast the fine soil about the roots so. 

 I press it lightly with my fingers so. It will now 

 stand upright. I cast in more soil. I press it down 

 more firmly. It needs now but the finishing touch. 

 I cast a little soil on top, lightly ; I do not press it 

 down : I give the plant a little shake, a little knock 

 on the bench so. It is done." He stood back a step 

 and surveyed with pride the work of his hands. 



Mary watched with admiring eyes ; then she tried 

 faithfully to imitate, the chubby fingers poking the 

 Dearth down carefully in the tiny pot. "How is 

 that?" she asked anxiously. 



The old man took it in his big fingers and exam- 

 ined it attentively. "It is not quite straight, little 

 one j and it goes in too deep. You would not like 

 to sleep all night with your head under the bed- 



