118 MT VIXEYAED. 



in fnoss, and sent some distance by rail. Without any re- 

 markable incidents on the journey, we arrived here, and I 

 was shortly afterwards planted in the very spot where 

 you see me now. 



The first summer passed very pleasantly. The ' soil 

 must have been nicely prepared. It was so exceedingly 

 mellow that my roots could get around with the greatest 

 . ease. There was a little lime which I was glad to get 

 hold of now and then, because I am as fond of it as most 

 people are of salt. During the season I grew pretty much 

 according to my own notion, except when they thought a 

 lateral was getting a little too long, they stopped it. In 

 the fall they came along with pruning shears, which they 

 used in a careless sort of way, as is proven by the fact 

 that they cut me back to only fifteen inches in height. A 

 mighty pretty way that is to barber a fellow, thought I. 

 But as it seemed to be quite the fashion among all my 

 neighbors, I did not so much care. 



The next spring they came along and ribbed ofi" all but 

 my two upper buds. From these I produced two very 

 stout canes during the season, the laterals being kept 

 pretty closely pinched in. Feeling somewhat anibitious, 

 I produced this season a couple bunches of fruit, whereat 

 I felt as much pride as a boy does with his first whiskers, 

 or a hen over the first egg. The gardener who had charge 

 of me in those days, felt very much gratified. And I suppose 

 he was entitled to some reward for all the trouble he had 



