84 NATURE IN A CITY YARD 



pinch off, earth to stir, vines to train, en- 

 thusiastic bushes to trim, weeds to pull, 

 grass to cut, cats to shoo away, and the 

 whole place to water. If time is worth 

 money, it is cheaper to buy flowers at the 

 shops ; but it is the raising of them that 

 makes the best fun. Remit your care, 

 even for a few days, and the place becomes 

 "a sight" 



It is surprising that weeds want so much 

 room. Tear them up, and you see much 

 bare earth under and about them. They 

 not only steal the nutriment from the 

 flowers, but try to monopolize the sun- 

 shine. The thrifty weed is like the thrifty 

 man, and even the thrifty mind ; yet no : 

 for the best mind is one-sided, and does 

 not get in the way of lesser ones. They 

 will have it that we ought to develop our 

 minds generally as well as specifically. A 

 mind evenly grown is prettier to look at, 

 like the box-trees in old-fashioned gar- 

 dens after the gardener has trimmed them ; 

 but shapeliness is not enough : strength 

 and reliability are more. 



The mind of a Newton, a Darwin, an 



