OR, WITH BRAINS, SIR. 277 







and turn our plantation round end-ways. Never mind the 

 beans that are planted." 



So we began again. Jack prepared the ground, Robert put 

 in the fertilizer, and I placed the seed. After planting several 

 rows I left them and went to the house to prepare dinner. As 

 I passed the lettuce-frame I looked at it. The young plants 

 were growing rapidly, and had stretched themselves up so 

 that they covered the soil from view. Altogether it made a 

 very pretty sight, green, fresh, and thrifty. To my sur- 

 prise I found the potatoes had sprouted and were growing- 

 finely. As I looked at them, I wondered how we were ever to 

 get them out. They seemed to have quite grown together. 

 While I was setting the table for dinner I happened to see 







Washburn's "Guide" on the table. " Let us see, did I 

 not read something about bush beans there? Oh! I fear 

 we have made a mistake." At that moment Robert came 

 in. 



"What day of the month is this?" 

 "The sixteenth." 



"Do you call this the middle of spring?" 

 " I should say not. It is early spring yet." 

 " Read *this : ' All varieties of beans are very sensi- 

 tive to the frost and cold, and should not be planted before 

 the middle of spring.' " 



Without a word he laid down the book, and, taking up 



