XV 



THE QUESTION OF THE 

 GARDENER 



"T^O write for me" — thus runs a letter lately 

 -L' from a clever friend — "a manual entitled, 

 'The Gardener-less Garden/ telling how to get 

 the most joy for the least trouble! Or call it 

 'The Lazy Gardener,' — I like to moon around 

 in the garden and I do not want to meet the 

 man with the hoe at every turn. Nor do I Hke 

 to work very steadily myself, though I always 

 think that I shall want to next year. 



" ' Oh, what is life if, full of care, 



We have not time to stand and stare? ' " 



Still, a book on gardening in its varying aspects 

 could hardly omit mention of that man who must 

 be constantly in sight of those who garden, the 

 gardener, the paid, the earnest, and almost always 

 the friendly, assistant in our labors with flowers. 

 That charming anonymous book, which appeared 

 first in the form of letters to "The Times" (Lon- 



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