246 THE GARDEN OF A 



overlong and wet, the accents are thick and choked 

 as if its throat needed clearing. If one wheel is on 

 the narrow border and the other on the walk, there is 

 a rasp of protest and a complaining tone denoting a 

 limping gait; while if the machine is banged heed- 

 lessly against tree trunk or porch steps, recoil both 

 mental and physical is suggested by the angry growl 

 and whirr. 



All garden tools have speech if the ear is keyed to 

 hear it. The shove-hoe working on the gravel path 

 can voice whether it is seriously searching out weeds 

 or merely shuffling irresponsibly about. And the 

 same tale is told by the common hoe in the corn- 

 fields. 



The garden history of June would still be in many 

 volumes if there were no roses, but as it is, all else 

 must give place to the head of a family that also 

 yields us strawberry, peach, pear, plum, apple, and 

 many of the most useful shrubs. 



The scarlet poppies of early June introduce a 

 colour that seems to belong with the flowers of mid- 

 summer and appears out of place among the more 

 delicate hues of the early garden even as the scarlet 

 tulip looks gaudy in contrast with the narcissi and 

 iris, though perhaps for well blended richness the 

 hardy flowers of June will match those of any season. 



