24 MARY'S GARDEN AND HOW IT GREW 



lightly across the smooth earth of the freshly filled 

 box, as if he were ruling a slate for writing, only 

 these lines were an inch apart. 



"Now, little one, drop the seeds in one at a time 

 along these lines." 



"My mama, when she put seeds in a box, just scat- 

 tered them all over," objected Mary. 



"The lady mama," said Mr. Trommel, "is a most 

 excellent lady, but she is not a professional gar- 

 dener." 



"Like you and me 1 ? " asked the under-gardener. 



"Yes, yes ; not a professional like you or me. 

 You see, mine assistant, we cannot begin too early to 

 teach the little plants to be orderly and not play 

 with the bad plant-children that is, the little weeds. 

 We plant them this way so that they get not mixed 

 when they are very small. 



"Now press the seeds down lightly. No, no ! Not 

 so very gently" ; for the under-gardener had begun 

 to pat with vigor. 



"Now we water them, don't we?" she asked. 

 "Just sprinkle with the little watering-pot? " 



"Yes, but wet them well this first time ; and re- 

 member, little one, we must not let the little things 

 get quite dry. These babies cannot eat much yet ; 



