AN ISLAND GARDEN 59 



load of sticks piled to toppling, and finally tip- 

 ping it up at the garden gate ! It took the whole 

 afternoon to stick the Peas, and I enjoyed every 

 moment of it. Before putting the dry brittle 

 branches in the ground, with a small, light hoe I 

 went all over and through the earth about the 

 Sweet Peas, uprooting chickweed and clover, pig- 

 weed and dogfennel, till there was not a weed to 

 be seen near them. When night fell I had only 

 just finished this pleasant work. 



2 1 st. Weeding all day in the hot sun; hard 

 work, but pleasant. I find it the best way to lay 

 two boards down near the plot I have to weed, 

 and on them spread a waterproof, or piece of car- 

 pet, and kneeling or half reclining on this, get my 

 face as close to my work as possible. Sitting flat 

 on these boards, I weed all within my reach, then 

 roll up a bit of carpet not bigger than a flat-iron 

 holder, put it at the edge of the space I have 

 cleared, and lean my elbow on it ; that gives me 

 another arm's-length that I can reach over, and 

 so I go on till all is done. I move the rest for my 

 elbow here and there as needed among the flow- 

 ers. It takes me longer to weed than most peo- 

 ple, because I will do it so thoroughly. It is 

 such a pleasure and satisfaction to clear the beau- 

 tiful brown earth, smooth and soft, from these 

 rough growths, leaving the beautiful green Pop- 

 pies and Larkspurs and Pinks and Asters, and 

 the rest, in undisturbed possession ! Now come 

 the potent heats that preface summer, and every- 

 thing grows and expands so fast, the process of 

 thinning the crowded plants must begin forth- 



