254 THE MANSE GARDEN. 



importance of their objects are duly considered ; and 

 though they are merely superficial and of the readiest 

 occurrence to all, yet the fact is, that no one cares 

 for adverting to them, till the circumstances which 

 call them forth prove that they ought to have been 

 known before, and till the mischiefs which such ob- 

 servations might have prevented stand in the room 

 of those advantages which the earlier application 

 of them might have secured. 



Next to the means of improving the boy, a few 

 things may be said to the effect of rendering his work 

 sufficient so far as it goes. It is a fact, that being 

 well disposed, he will, by a few lessons, rightly given, 

 be perfectly fit for all plain garden work without 

 further superintendence ; whilst at nicer jobs under 

 your own eye, his nimble and willing hands will afford 

 sufficient help, and add pleasure to your occupation. 

 But then it is as true that the simplest things, with- 

 out suitable directions, will be entirely bungled. 

 Thus, if weeding be ordered, the result will be more 

 of the nature of grazing than of extirpation ; or if a 

 piece of digging be required, the spade will be set 

 at such an angle as suits the work of a shovel, and 

 the surface will present a series of undulations, which 

 on a large scale are beautiful in the lawn, but 

 not in their diminished proportions on the small 

 field of a strawberry plantation ; and should the rake 

 be applied to reduce the inequalities it will discover 

 the dock and the de- nettle, transplanted, not with 

 ceremony indeed, but so that those roots, like the 

 outcasts of society, though ill used are yet willing to 

 live and to dwell in the land and before they can 

 be extracted the rake brings to light more of a ver- 



