206 MAEY'S GAEDEN AND HOW IT GEEW 



man, as the second young gardener stood beside his 

 fetice. 



"Asters, and squashes, and cdm," answered Ean- 

 dolph Findlayson. "Look ! " and he held up a thick, 

 green -clad ear. 



"Prachtvoll /" declared the old gardener. "But at 

 thes how you should pull back the husk and the 

 pretty silk a little, that people may see what a fine 

 big ear is there." 



" ' What Ug ears you 've got ! ' " quoted Mary, with 

 a laugh. "But come on now, Haddie. Don't you 

 forget to come early, Mr. Trommel. You 're one of 

 the judges, you know," she said, as they turned 

 away. 



The Pattersons' piazza was a very busy place, es- 

 pecially the broad, railed-in space at the north end 

 which extended some twenty feet beyond the house. 

 This was shaded by awnings, and cut off by Japanese 

 screens from the rest of the piazza. Behind the screens 

 there was bustling, and chatting, and running ; the 

 exhibitors were hurrying to and fro, finding water 

 and jars for their flowers ; some were already arrang- 

 ing them on the long, narrow table (boards on boxes). 

 There were flowers in market-baskets, on the table, 

 or laid in piles on chairs. 



