The Story-Book of the Fields 



the cross-grained shrub, and foresaw, in the 

 distant future, the mellow pear that we eat 

 to-day. 



In the same way, from the grape of the 

 original vine, the berries of which were no 

 larger than those of the elder, man, by the 

 sweat of his brow, has acquired the juicy 

 fruit of the vine as we know it to-day. He 

 has obtained wheat from some poor seed now 

 unknown, and his vegetables and fruit trees 

 from a few wretched shrubs and uninviting 

 herbs. Earth treats us as a harsh step- 

 mother in order to compel us to work, which 

 is the supreme law of our existence. It pro- 

 vides plenteous food for the young birds, but 

 to us it only offers the berry of the bramble 

 or the sloe in the hedge. We need not com- 

 plain, for it is the struggle with want that 

 creates our superiority. 



It is for us by intelligence and labour to 

 provide for ourselves ; to act on the noble 

 motto — " Help thyself, and heaven will help 

 thee." 



Man has always sought to discover among 

 the innumerable species of plants those that 

 are capable of improvement. The greater 

 number have remained useless ; but others, 

 predestinated and created specially for the 



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