130 FIELD AND HEDGEROW, 
reflection of sunlight on water, but the surface was really 
much the same colour everywhere. It seemed a triumph 
of culture over such a space, such regularity, such. perfec- 
tion of myriads of plants springing in their true lines at 
the same time, each particular ear perfect, and a mile of 
it. Perfect work with the plough, the drill, the harrow 
in every detail, and yet such breadth. Let your hand 
touch the ears lightly as you walk—drawn through 
them as if over the side of a boat in water—feeling the 
golden heads. The sparrows fly out every now and 
then ahead; some of the birds like their corn as it 
hardens, and some while it is soft and full of milky sap. 
There are hares within, and many a brood of partridge 
chicks that cannot yet use their wings. Thick as the seed 
itself the feathered creatures have been among the wheat 
since it was sown. Finches more numerous than the 
berries on the hedges ; sparrows like the finches multi- 
plied by finches, linnets,,rooks, like leaves on the trees, 
wood-pigeons whose crops are like bushel baskets for 
capacity ; and now as it ripens the multitude will be 
multiplied by legions, and as it comes to the harvest 
there is a fresh crop of sparrows from the nests in the 
barns, you may sce a brown cloud of them a hundred 
yards long. Besides which there were the rabbits that 
ate the young green blades, and the mice that will be 
busy in the sheaves, and the insects from spring-time to 
granary,a nameless host uncounted. A whole world, asit 
were, let loose upon the wheat, to eat, consume, and wither 
it, and yet it conquers the whole world. The great field 
you see was filled with gold corn four feet decp as a 
pitcher is filled with water to the brim. Of yore the rich 
man is said, in the Roman classic, to have measured his 
money, so here you might have measured it by the rood, 
The sunbeams sank deeper and deeper into the wheatears, 
