36 MARY'S GARDEN AND HOW IT GREW 



weak j it is not strong enough to start out for itself. 

 You see, little one, we' take the cuttings from the 

 wood that is young and strong. Do you know that 

 it is hard to move old people they do not like to 

 try the new place ? No 1 So we cannot make cut- 

 tings of the old wood ; they do not like to try the 

 new way of life : they will not strike out for them- 

 selves. And we cannot make them of the very young 

 wood, either ; then they are too weak to work for 

 themselves. They should be about one year old. 



"Come, now. Stand up on the box and I will 

 show you how we put them in the sand. I take my 

 ruler and my pointed stick, and I draw a line so 

 from the back of the bench to the edge." 



"I think if I get up on the bench," suggested 

 Mary, "that I can see much better." So she 

 perched on the edge of the bench and watched Mr. 

 Trommel attentively. 



"I poke a hole with the stick so," said Mr. Trom- 

 mel, illustrating as he went on ; "I put the little cut- 

 ting in so till he is half in ; then I press the soil 

 down so," he went on rapidly, putting in one after 

 another in the firm, damp sand. 



"Let me let me ! " begged Mary. 



"Well, well," assented Mr. Trommel, resigning his 



