HARVEST 159 



Small things hidden far beneath the corn-tops 

 make a lovely carpet, out of which spring up the 

 yellow stalks. There the little sherardia trails its 

 trifling blooms, and the corn-mint prospers, and the 

 corn-galium and yellow-eyed corn-pansy dwell to- 

 gether. About the shining stems, that leap upwards 

 to light and air, the black bindweed twines and climbs ; 

 while at the corn edge grow the succory, with sky-blue 

 flowers clinging close to the stems, great centauries, 

 sow-thistles, the harsh and hairy ox-tongue, and the 

 brilliant corn-chrysanthemum. 



Against the edge of the cliff lies the blue horizon 

 of the sea ; above, the gulls wheel and turn, and their 

 thousand wings make a gentle whispering akin to the 

 music of the wind in the corn, where the dry husks 

 are laughing, as a million ears pressed down by breezes 

 whisper and rustle musically together. 



In sight of the growing food, one has no thought 

 of daily bread ; one is not burdened with statistical 

 monitions ; one does not mourn before the gloomy 

 spectacle of a crop sowed in doubt and gathered 

 without enthusiasm. You shall find all that mournful 

 story in other pages ; but for the moment it is 

 enough to note the glory of this royal colour against 

 the sea-line ; to hear the song of the wheat above and 

 the wave beneath ; to watch the lovely work of in- 

 visible winds on earth and sea ; to listen to the lark 

 and the purr of the reaper close by, where already 

 husbandmen set about their labour. 



With magic hands the great machine cuts and 



